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Chapter Text

~Lucifer Morningstar~

Lucifer sat in his newly acquired night club, deep in thought as he nursed a glass of 50 years old Tomatin Scotch. It wasn't the most expensive choice among his liquors. Not even close, actually. But the smoky aroma and the pleasant warmth it left, along with the silky smooth taste, elevated it to the upper echelon among his choices. He was thinking as he was prone to do when nothing he deemed interesting was distracting him. There were some days still until the club he recently procured would open and even then, it's name wasn't yet well enough known to draw an extensive crowd. Something he would have to rectify as quickly as devilishly possible. But for now, he was content to let his mind wander on matters of existential importance. His barkeeper, the ever loyal demon named Mazikeen who was forged in the infernal flames of Hell, rolled her eyes at him.

"Can't you brood somewhere else? I agreed to play your barkeep in this... game of yours, mostly because it'll be fun to throw drunk people, normies and outcasts alike, through closed doors, windows, and roofs. And maybe to get laid a couple of times. But you make it a real challenge to get in the mood for violence or sex when you mope around."

As always, she failed to understand the grand mind snugly encased in perfection. It was fine. He didn't hold it against her. How could he? Her own mental capacities were rather more limited than his own after all.

"You just thought something rude, didn't you?"

'Her instincts are top notch though. It's the reason why she's my favourite.' He thought as he returned her baleful glare with a bemused little smirk, knowing that she wouldn't ever truly raise her hand against him. He was her Lord and Master after all. The Ruler of Hell, Satan, the First Rebel, God's former Favourite, Yadda Yadda Yadda.

She sighed as she returned her attention to her former task. She continued to listlessly wipe the counter, knowing a losing battle when she encountered one. She was obedient like that. Only one time had she directly defied his command. And what a command it was! When he ordered her to use her infernal weaponry to remove those pesky wings of his, she was livid. 'I won't aid you in self mutilation just because you can't get over your daddy issues.' were her words, and she stayed exceedingly firm on the matter. Even when he flashed Hellfire at her, she remained steadfast. Not even a single tremble racked her frame as she stared him down. Refusing to follow his word paradoxically made him all the more sure that she was to be trusted. It showed that she followed him not because she had to but because she wanted to. Which was... Reassuring.

It also showed that she was ready and willing to call him out on his bullshit. That she was capable of growing past what she was born to be. It was a remarkable rarity to watch. A capability almost all demons except for a rare few seemed to lack. He appreciated her all the more for it, and if there was a sudden addition of a ninjato to her already extensive collection of bladed weapons shortly afterwards, then that was entirely by chance. He sighed as he accepted the fact that he was indeed a tad bored. No new deals to be struck, the bar wasn't yet set up properly, and no novel face around to tempt into a tumble between sheets. Sloth might have been one of the sins he was prone to indulge in from time to time, but he disliked being idle without reason. Sleeping in after a night filled with parties and exhausting sexual escapades? Resting his head between pillowy breasts that made him think back to the times he lounged on clouds and watched over his stars? That was the kind of laziness he wanted to experience. Not whatever this was. 'This is ridiculous.' He thought as he slammed his emptied glass onto the counter, drawing another glare in the process. He decided that if entertainment didn't want to come to him, he had to take the first step himself, unbelievable as it was. It was time to prowl. To hunt for those souls in need of a little bit of sin in their lives.

A smile that oozed temptation and promised pleasure had just settled on his flawless features as he was about to leave when he suddenly froze, expression and all. Because something absolutely inconceivable happened. Something that hadn't happened in so long that he had forgotten the sensation of it until it spread through him once more. Like electricity racing through his divine nerves. As if he was struck once more by Sacred Lightning after he stole his sister Raziel’s panties while she was bathing. He nearly lost control over his wings from shock. Because someone was praying to him. Not the Devil, not the collective evil of humanity, not the Lord of Hell, but him. The Person. 'What the bloody Hell?...' He thought to himself even as words began to filter through the connection.

'Uhm hi? Ah no, that's not how you start a prayer. Silly me. Uhm. Dear Lucifer Morningstar. Or Satan. Or Bilsebub. Or do you prefer Helel? Samäl? Honestly, you have so many names and they all sound so cool!'

Despite the absolutely ridiculous notion of being the target of a prayer of all things, he couldn't help but preen. Obvious mispronunciations aside, she had done her research. Most of the names he was coined with were human inventions and they had rather unpleasant connotations rather more often than not, but they did sound 'cool' as she uncouthly put it. A female child it was, that much was clear from her mental voice.

'Anyways. Dear Lucifer. I'm lonely. I heard that the Devil is known for making deals and I want to make one. I didn't think God would have helped me so I prayed to you instead. I could really use a friend...'

She sounded forlorn and the desolation in the hollow tone of her mental voice tugged at his blackened heartstrings. One couldn't lie during prayer. Not when it truly mattered. And especially not when it came to him. He was called the Prince of Lies for a reason. Just not the one most thought to be true. In reality it was just another thing that was twisted and turned until it fit the general image of him. As such, the Prince who does not lie became the Prince of Lies. It was one of those titles that hurt him once upon a time, but he soon became numb to it. He was good at ignoring the hurt. Had to be, all things considered.

More importantly, how was she capable of praying to him with the Seal set up as it was? He didn't know. He just knew it was still firmly in place. He couldn't hear those corrupted and depraved imbeciles vying for his ear after all. For a while after his Fall, he thought his Grace was gone or corrupted for the prayers he received were truly disturbing. Abound were lunatics and sociopaths as well as fanatics killing and raping in his name. Only when he investigated and found his steadily worsening reputation did he understand. He wasn't just punished with Hell by his daddy dearest. No, that would be far too merciful. He was made the scapegoat for all the evil and all the sins in his precious little sandbox too! Jesus might have died for those sins, but he had to live for them. It was the moment where he realised this that made him truly hate his Father.

Oh, how he abhorred those sniveling creatures. Those sinners who made him responsible for their own horribly twisted nature. Who lived their tainted desires in his name. So he created a seal on his ability to receive prayers. At first he just filtered out all those disturbing and horrid acts done in his name. He refused to listen to those atrocious sinners he would later punish for the very things they did in his name. But it wasn't enough, so he soon added liars and oath breakers to that list. Even then, those rare few that slipped through made him nauseous, so he sealed the ability completely, causing the prayers to stop entirely. At least he thought so. This little girl was proving him wrong after all. She was the very first person who had reached his ear with a prayer in what had to be millennia. Her honesty was beyond reprieve, he knew that much. It had to be to even have a chance at swaying the devil. After a short pause to collect herself, she continued.

So I want to strike a deal. I want you to be my friend and in return I'll be yours! I think you could use one too. All those people are talking about you like they know you, but no one really does, I think. I dunno what I'd have to do as your friend, but I have some ideas! I'll cheer in your name and curse your father for you! And I'll, uhm, I'll spit at the church in town? I dunno how to do this desecration thing I found online but I'm willing to learn if you show me! Ah, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Enid Sinclair. Nice to meet you! I know your names so it's only fair that you know mine. And since I googled you, I know some other stuff too, so I'll have to tell you about me. Hmm. Well, I'm 7 and a half years old and I'm a Werewolf! At least I was supposed to be one but I'm late with my transformation and mom kinda hates me for it...

He almost laughed out loud at the thought of a small human spitting at churches because she wanted to be his friend. How ridiculous could this situation get? At her later words, his mood grew sombre and he began to understand. Her solitude certainly wasn't self-imposed. She was but another child who wasn't good enough for her parents. He could relate to that at least. That rotten heart he thought dead stirred in his chest yet again. A wry smile tugged at his lips but he refused to let it form. This girl seemed talented in pulling all kinds of strange emotions from him. In a way, it was exciting. It certainly stalled his boredom. Speaking of emotions, she sounded close to tears by now, but she was holding herself together quite well. 'Brave little kind-of human.' He thought to himself as he listened intently, not realising that he was becoming attached to a creature who hadn't reached the end of her first decade in life. He hadn't even met her personally and already, she was beginning to burrow herself through his defences.

I'm lonely. I said that already, I think, but let me explain. My brothers don't play with me anymore since I'm an icky girl and only a half-wolf. That's what they said and mum agreed... My... schoolmates began to bully me when they heard I hadn't transformed yet. My dad is always silent and never says anything and mom... Well, mom mostly shouts at me or ignores me. But sometimes, when she's really angry, I don't get any food and she locks me into my room. But it's ok! Really, it is! She just wants to help me, I'm sure! She wants me to transform and I'm sure I can soon! Once I'm hungry enough, maybe?... But... It's so lonely here. I wanna talk with someone. I don't like being alone with myself... I... I just want someone to listen...

A single sob broke through her self-control and it was as if her tears were falling on his skin even though he was kilometres away. They burned blistering trails into his already cindered skin. Some facts about her race came to his mind. Hellhounds were close relatives to Werewolves and they shared a fair amount of traits. As such, he knew quite a bit about them since he had a passing interest in them some centuries ago. Well, that and Maze was the Mistress of Hounds and she liked to talk about her darlings. Among those shared traits was the desperate and instinctive need to socialise. And this... mother of hers locked her own child away, isolated her in the knowledge that she might very well fall prey to insanity as a result? He could feel the rage build within. It was a living thing, Writhing, and smouldering, and demanding attention. He was seething. He was positively Burning with Wrath. And It was threatening to consume everything in his wake. His surroundings were starting to heat up and Maze looked over, alarmed at the sudden outburst. No doubt, his hellish glory was on full display.

"What the hell?! You only lose control like that when you're beyond furious! Who the fuck pissed you off like that! And when for that matter! There is no one here but us! Oy! Stop burning the place down or I'll get the fire extinguisher! I'm warning you! I'm not above spraying you!"

He didn't answer. Couldn't, really. Besides the fact that every word coming from his mouth at this moment would end up being the kind of vitriol she didn't deserve, he was still completely connected to the first person who reached him through prayer in millennia. Enid Sinclair. Tasting her name in his mind didn’t make the situation any less baffling. He was frankly out of practice in that regard and he didn't want to risk interrupting the connection. But he did manage to reign in his presence. It would be embarrassing to burn down his new club only weeks after buying the building. The renovations were finally close to completion. It would be a shame if they had to start over again because he lacked control over his fiery temper. While he managed to wrangle his rage back into its confines to cool down and be used at a later time, the little girl did the same with her despair.

So... Can I talk to you? Will you listen? I can do the same for you! We can be prayer buddies or something like that! Like pen pals but with prayer instead. I'll throw in reading you a story too! You'll have to be patient though. I can't read that well yet. And, and, I don't like blood, but I'll bring you an offering! I could... stab one of my plushies for you? Ah wait, I don't have a knife. But, uhm, I can claw them?...

She sounded so adorably innocent and reluctant at the end that even the Lord of Hell couldn't help but calm down a tad. He didn't even notice the small smile on his lips. Mazikeen did however, and it was another thing that freaked out his most loyal servant.

"What the fuck is going on?... Has he finally gone completely around the bend? I knew that a prolonged stay on earth wouldn't be good for him. Better prepare for the worst. Just in case he starts throwing around fireballs again..."

He ignored her mutterings and concentrated. He tested it beforehand but the connection indeed seemed to be solid enough for him to answer. Which was a marvel. A true miracle, really. He hadn't received any prayers for such a long time. Ever since he sealed that part of himself away completely. At least he thought he did. Never had he thought any innocent child would ever deem him worthy of such a solid and pure connection. But this girl did. And so he felt compelled to answer.

~Enid Sinclair~

As she knelt there with her hands folded, she was beginning to feel silly. Of course the Lord of Hell would have more important things to do than listening to a half-wolf child like her. But she was so lonely and no one wanted to talk with her. No one wanted to listen to her 'prattling' and 'yapping'. Hearing her mom say that to her had really hurt. More than most other things she'd said. Enid knew she talked a lot when she was in the mood, but she always tried to make what she said interesting. She wanted others to enjoy talking with her. She wanted to make friends and she really really tried. But somehow, it never seemed to work and she was growing desperate.

No need to mutilate your precious possessions, darling.

Suddenly, a smooth and pleasant voice as soft as silk echoed through her mind and her eyes widened. She didn't know that word. Muteelate, was it? And if she didn't know the word, she couldn't have imagined the voice! That, and no one had ever called her darling before. Did she really manage to reach the devil?! Tentatively, she greeted the voice.

Hello?... Is this... the devil?

The answer was spoken in a grand but warm tone and she instinctively knew the words to be the truth.

Lucifer Morningstar, at your service. The Devil is indeed among my many titles and names, though I prefer the name I chose for myself. I heard you want to strike a deal? Friendship for friendship, was it?

She smiled when she realised that Lucifer had not just listened but he hadn't instantly dismissed the idea. There was a chance! She could make a friend today! Determination flooded her as she focused. She needed to be ready. She read that bargaining with the devil was dangerous. She had to look up the word bargaining, but now she understood. She needed to make her offer good enough to be irresistible. Another word she had to look up. Maybe big words were the reason it was dangerous? She shook her head. She had to concentrate. How would she do this? She couldn’t fail! She needed to...-

I am fine with that arrangement, darling. I am certain there will be times I'll need to rant at someone and Mazikeen isn't always fond of my ravishing voice for some inexplicable reason. I'd rather avoid having to catch her knives again. So you will take her place instead. You will take all the annoyance, the wrath, and the joy I have to share lest I lose control. In turn, I will always have an open ear for you. No matter what you have to say, no matter how unbelievable it is, I will listen to you. I will gladly lend you my ear if you need to vent and I will do the same when you need to share your woes or joys. I will never judge you beyond my duties as the Lord of Hell, and I will give my council should you have need for it. I will support you in word and deed and ̶̛͉̪̙̖̹̟̼̞̞̼͖̇̽̓̂͗̾̚Í̷͙̥̇͠ ̶̬̒̉c̵͎̃͒l̵͓̥̄̿á̶̜͍̽í̸̜̪̎͛m̸͎̯̹͆͌̊ ̶̫̖͛̽͌ͅy̷̌͜͝͝o̴̘̹̱̾̂u̷͚̺̓̕͜ ̶̪̓̇ạ̸͗̾s̸̙̾̕͝ ̸͖͑m̴̹̼̽́̌i̴̥̱̗͑ṉ̶̣͒ȇ̸͎̫̃. Is this an acceptable deal for you?

She nearly cried then and there. Someone was willing to listen! Someone willing to help! This was so much more than she expected... So what if he was the devil? He was her friend now and she defended her friends! All those people saying nasty things about him were jerks! Friends were the most important people to her. Like family but you get to decide! That last part of his offer, she didn't understand. She didn't think It was the same language but she couldn't be sure since there were lots of words she didn't know. She just knew it was a strange but beautiful sound and she felt Power in those words. They called to her in a way nothing ever did before and she instinctively knew that whatever was said wouldn't harm her. She supposed she should be more wary, but what was the worst that could happen? She was already alone. Nothing could be worse. So she took a leap of faith. Giddily and without hesitation, she basically shouted into her head.

Agreed! I accept! Whatever I need to say!

And then she felt it. Where before, there was just a strange little sensation besides her thoughts, now it felt like a solid presence. As if someone just up and moved to live in her head. The thought made her giggle silently as she curiously prodded at the feeling. A short burst of surprise came through it, accompanied by flittery panic, and then nothing for some seconds before it started sending solid and constant warmth. It felt like cuddles but from the inside. She felt it warm her up and giggled in delight. She squirmed in place because she felt so safe and secure. Not cold and alone like she was moments ago, but warm and sheltered and as if someone actually wanted her. Praying to the devil, she decided, was the best decision she ever made. If his cuddles were this great when he wasn't even here, how good would it feel if he was? She sighed wistfully before informing and thanking him.

Your hugs are great. Thank you.

He sent some confusion again before acceptance and pride took its place. All the while, the warmth never stopped and she really didn't want it to. 'Best day ever...' She thought to herself as she climbed into bed to sleep a bit. She was tired and cosy. A good combination for a good night's sleep. She sank into dreams of herself riding on a strange black and red unicorn with fiery hooves and crimson, glowing eyes. A tall, black haired gentleman in a suit was flying beside them with pure, white wings on his back. She read that Lucifer was an Archangel before he fell so she was certain it had to be him. He was pretty enough to be an angel for sure, even if the wings wouldn’t give it away already. Slightly behind them, there was a woman with only half a face, and she smirked at her.

It should have terrified her something fierce, but she felt herself smiling back instead and she was ok with that. Judging people for their appearance was a big no-no, even in dreams. The woman led a horde of monstrous fiery hounds, each at least as tall as her unicorn, and somehow, they felt like Pack. She felt at home with them. Turning around, she found that in front of them, there were tall black clouds that surged in their direction. That should have frightened her too, but with the devil by her side and his loyal demon following with their Pack, she had nothing to fear. What would have been a nightmare once quickly became an exciting adventure.

~Mazikeen~

She warily observed her crazy boss. The Lord of Hell. She had no idea what caused the latest bout of insanity, but his reactions were oddly familiar. Somewhere in the recesses of her mind, deeply buried since it was so long ago, a memory stirred. Before she had a chance to recall it, her boss snapped out of whatever it was that bound him. That didn't mean she was safe though. He looked drawn, as if he had just witnessed his old pops railing his mother on his very own throne. Pale with wide and uncomprehending eyes. Haltingly, he slowly turned to her with somewhat mechanical movements. He looked her in the eyes and spoke words that didn't make a lick of sense.

"Ah, my dearest servant. It seems I adopted a child. We will need to retrieve her. Get the hounds while I transform the carriage to fit more modern standards."

'What?...'

"What?..."

Had he truly just said what he said? 'He didn't even leave the room! How would he have adopted anyone?' Then the memory finally kicked in. It was the look he had as he turned to go. A moment before he froze. That wide-eyed wonder. The expression he had the last time when someone had prayed to him. Hopeful and anticipatory. Before it came crashing down and a bitter scowl of disappointment was left on his lips that transformed into a vicious snarl as his hellish might radiated from him. The mere memory alone made her all hot and bothered. That was days before he added the final rules. Before he sealed that part of himself completely.

She was pretty young back then, just a fresh hatchling really at the tender age of a few decades. For some reason he had decided to take her with him on his hunt for some escaped sinners. She hadn't left his side ever since. That said, someone reaching him back then had already been pretty rare. Sometimes it happened and he was always hopeful that they'd live up to his standards, but it was never to be. The day he finalised his Seal was the day he lost most of his hope for humanity to learn and understand. To grasp the truth that he wasn’t the evil they tried making him responsible for. That he was just the punishment at the end of a blasphemous journey. He refused to let their filth penetrate his mind any longer. But something had changed. Someone had reached him despite all the defences he erected. And It was baffling for the demon. While he did still seem shocked beyond belief, he had recovered enough that she felt safe to ask a question. She made sure to put the appropriate amount of exasperation in her tone of voice to make him understand just how done with his shit she was.

"What have you done now?"

He seemed to weigh his options before answering with a rare hint of helplessness in his voice, even as his posture righted itself and his composure returned. It was unusual for him to show such weakness, even to her. Demonic entities in general weren't folks you wanted to turn your back or show fragility to. It was a show of trust and she was determined not to betray it, pissed off as she may be.

"I might have slipped into my birth tongue by accident while making a deal with her. The way it was interpreted was... More drastic than I anticipated..."

She stared at him incredulously for a long moment. He used Enochian in a deal. This was her boss. The reason for her existence. In some ways, he might be called her father. The mightiest Archangel. God's favourite who had fallen from Grace and was forced to punish the wicked. The one who created and hung up the stars. A creature older than time itself. One of the first to prowl this universe. And he used the language that played a critical role in the creation of the universe, the most powerful spoken language of which only those with truly divine origins were capable of, in a deal. With a mortal. By accident. She knew he had his bouts of irresponsibility but this was so far beyond the usual that she didn't even know what to say. 'He's a moron...' She realised not for the first time. So she just left before she did or said something she'd regret. He was clearly still on edge and throwing bladed weapons at him in that moment might backfire spectacularly and painfully.

"You know what? I'm too old for this shit. Meet you outside."

She went to get the hounds, leaving behind a devil with a slightly tilted head to express his confusion. It made him look adorable and she despised it. The Lord of Hell shouldn't be in any way adorable. It made him look soft. He should be fearsome and mighty. He should lead with an iron fist and smash all those opposing him without mercy. He should deconstruct wicked souls with skilled fingers, immeasurable strength, and a golden tongue. Her scowl melted away with a sigh before her whistle pierced the air. Slinking through the shadows, her Pack answered her call and she allowed herself a fond smile as she let her fingers glide through the fur on Cherona’s head. They always had her back and she theirs. She'd concentrate for now and focus on the task. Everything else could come later.

On the bright side of it all, they gained an heir for the infernal throne by accident. She just hoped whoever it was was a vicious and bloodthirsty creature. Someone who'd take the reins and lead Hell to bloody glory. She shivered as a strangely foreboding sensation of abject horror lanced through her hell-forged body. Whatever in the seven hells could have caused that?

Chapter Text

~Lucifer Morningstar~

'Well, at least I'm not bored anymore.' He mused with a wry smile. Once he calmed himself enough to think somewhat clearly, he did just that and promptly remembered where he heard the name Sinclair before. It was the name of a Pack Elder who owed him. And didn't that thought bring a devious smile to his face? Surely, removing a child from her abusive parents wasn't too much a favour to call in?

While he planned and plotted, he rebuilt his Hell's Carriage into a corvette. It wasn't much work since it always had the function to fit in with the surroundings. He just never got around to do it. 'If I remember correctly, and of course I do, the Sinclair Pack settled here in California.' He scrunched up his brows as he recalled the exact spot. 'Their territory is only around an hour away from the City of Angels. How very convenient!' The radiant smile on his sinful lips could have tempted angels to leave heaven just to taste them. His newfound daughter was closer than he thought. He sensed Mazikeen close by and called out with barely restrained glee.

"Maze! Be a dear and call Trophus Sinclair for me. Tell him we are coming over for a brief... chat. It is time that he keeps his part of the deal. Do try not to scare him too much, though. We do need him coherent and in possession of most of his mental faculties."

She grumbled that if he continued to ruin her fun, he'd need to make it up to her. Well, he could let her loose amongst some of the ruffians and more brutal criminals in the vicinity to clean up the surroundings of his club a bit. That should calm her temper down for a week or so.

With all preparations made, he waited for Maze's return. His thoughts wandered to the matter of what he had accidentally done as he gently caressed Cherona's head. She was always hungry for affection and he wouldn't deny her when she turned her large, faux-sad eyes on him. He supposed others might find her appearance a bit shocking. Repulsive, even. She was after all a monstrous creature taller than most humans, capable of holding her own against even the strongest of Lycan Alphas on earth with her status as a higher demonic entity. Her appearance also failed to endear her to most. It wasn't just her generally rather... hellish looks. What truly made her unstomachable for so many were those long ugly scars littering the entire length of her entire body and the hint of Hellfire that lingered wherever she went. The sulfuric smell all around her was less than pleasant too for some, he supposed.

But to him, all that didn't matter. Well, that was not entirely true. It was just, what others saw as taint and horror, he perceived as proof of her absolute loyalty. This Hellhound was among the oldest still alive. She followed him from the moment he created her, always having her nose somewhere it really shouldn't be. Her mischievous streak went so far that she even intruded in his bedchambers, daring to sleep at his feet despite his warnings of truly horrific torment should she do so again. Somehow, her persistence to stay by his side had endeared her to him beyond measure. Nowadays, she and her Mistress were constant companions of the Lord of Hell. And he wouldn't have it any other way. Which meant that she had taken more blows for him than anyone else. Her scars were a testament for that.

And soon another would be added to his inner circle. A child this time. He didn't delude himself into thinking that any other outcome was feasible. Still... He couldn't help but think. He had slipped before, but the reaction was never as profound as this time. The way her soul called out to him for salvation... Him, the Devil of all things! It made his words far more meaningful than he consciously intended. But the most unnerving aspect was that he didn't care! He tried to scrounge up genuine irritation at the audacity that someone bound themselves to him, fury at the fact that this bond might infringe on his well deserved freedom, or anything else of the sort.

But no, the only emotions surging through him were positive in nature. And above all stood that infernal anticipation he felt. He genuinely wanted this on a deeper level he feared to explore in more detail, and it scared him. Not that he'd admit it to anyone. Because what did that tell him about himself? Why was he so on board with adopting a child he hadn't even met yet? Why was he so agreeable about this? Sure, he resonated with her plight. Had felt the glacial sting of loneliness and abandonment too once upon a time. But that wasn't enough of a reason to do something like this... Was it?

Despite his thoughts, he didn't dare diving into his own motivations, feeling apprehensive at what he'd find and that he wouldn't be capable of resurfacing for a long time. He wasn't big on self reflection, that much he could admit. Though he regularly displayed rightfully prideful demeanour, it wasn't that he thought himself to be unfailing. Far from it. But his existence was an ancient one, to say the least. And he wasn't idle for long at a time. If he wanted to, he could recall any and all memories he'd ever made and he feared once he started finding fault in anything he did, he wouldn't. Stop. Looking. That was one of the main reasons he loved living in the moment. Why he relished in any opportunity to indulge. It distracted him from a past that could only ever be an unspeakable burden.

Which was another reason he couldn't understand his... Dare he say joy? At having accidentally adopted a sticky but innocent little being. He didn't know much about parenting, only ever having had his own as an example and he refused to deem their approach as the correct one. The monsters who landed in his domain, he couldn't call parents at all. Druggies who sold their children for the next fix. Abusive scumbags who laid blame for their own failings at their children's feet and punished them accordingly. Mothers and Fathers with sky-high expectations, ruining their children's innocence by forcing their own dreams in life upon them.

And the less was said about those who indulged in their unnatural desires towards their own spawn, the better. Safe to say they had their own special corner in his domain and he... cared for those and others like them personally. Taking any being's, least of all of those who are truly innocent, free will in the most horrendous of ways could never be forgiven. So no, he didn't have any good examples to speak of. 'Well, at least I was shown extensively what to avoid.' His sardonic inner voice commented with a hint of dark humour.

What little he knew of parenting was that he would have to show responsibility. He would have to guide and nurture. Something that wasn't quite his forte, he knew. But he was ready to learn. He would make sure to allow this child of his to actualise her infinite potential in any and all ways she desired. She was to be the Princess of Hell. And he'd treat her like he would have wanted to be treated by his own Father. The thought stung far more fiercely than expected, but it also brought a new kind of anticipation. He would treat his daughter right. He would show his own father how it was to be done by doing a better job than God himself. He would be patient and gentle. Firm when he had to be and soft when she needed it. He wouldn't be shy with affection. He never really was, but what would be hard for him was the emotional aspect of it all. Still, he was determined not to let his own experiences shadow her's.

'Well, now I can't wait.' He realised. His eyes gleamed with Hellfire, but strangely, it didn't burn as usual. Instead, it flickered gently with a rarely seen tenderness. Cherona tilted her head, puzzled by the unusual sight, before huffing dismissively and continuing to enjoy his ministrations.

~Enid Sinclair~

When she woke from her restful slumber with the best dreams ever, she thought it was all just made up by her delirious mind. She realised that wasn't the case when the strange presence in her mind pulsed gently and released another bout of warmth that suffused her little body. It wrapped her in a special kind of coziness she never wanted to end.

With a gasp and a soft sigh, she snuggled into her blanket. 'It was real! I talked with the Devil and he was so nice! Why does everyone say he's evil? He isn't! He's my friend and I won't let them tell lies about him anymore.' She growled cutely. Grim determination to make things right settled in her and she was ready to tackle the day. 'Maybe I am allowed to come down for breakfast today?' she thought uncertainly. She hadn't been let out to eat for two days. She had once again failed to transform during the last full moon.

She pushed back her overwhelming sadness by pulling strength from the strange presence in her mind and rose from her bed. Tentatively, she padded over to the door and tried opening it. It refused to budge. Senselessly, she tried again, hoping against hope that it was just a bit stuck and not locked from the other side as per usual. No such luck was to be had and this time, she failed holding back her tears. She was really hungry and the gnawing sensation in her guts didn't help her to calm down at all. Without really thinking about it, she prayed to distract herself.

Dear Lucifer. Good morning. I hope you slept well. I did! Whatever that hug you gave me was, it kept me warm and cozy the whole night. I slept like a baby! Thank you again. I've never felt so safe my entire life. I just thought I'd let you know I'm awake. Please have a nice breakfast! I'm not allowed to eat yet I think. My door is still locked so I'll have to wait until mum unlocks it. Maybe I'll be let out for lunch or dinner. That would be great... Thanks for listening and have a nice day!

Greeting friends whenever possible was important. They needed to know that she thought about them. And that she wanted them to be happy. And well fed. She grimaced. Thinking of food made her stomach clench painfully but she was growing used to ignoring that by now. The warmth that pulsed through her spiked for a moment before an answer was whispered into her mind by the silky voice that made her feel so safe.

Yes, well... Your gratitude for that particular peculiarity is received and appreciated. And there is no need to thank me for listening to you. I was merely fulfilling my end of our deal. Not to mention that I will do so much more than listen. Sit tight and play with your dolls or whatever else inane activities you fill your pastime with. Soon you will be where you should be. Everything will be better for you at the end of the day. I claimed you as mine and my word is my bond. Oh, and don't you worry about me, my dear. I am quite the... Free spirit if you will. I do not always take breakfast, but when I do, it is scrumptious as you will soon come to experience.

Some of his words had an ominous edge to them and others she simply failed to understand, but the little girl was ignorant to the true depth of his promises. Instead, she closed her eyes as she hummed gently. A feeling of peace that stemmed from the constant heat filling her, in tandem with the gentle voice in her head, began to affect her. Deciding to somewhat follow his advice, she retrieved and rummaged through the hidden box filled with her most precious possessions only to victoriously pull out her sketchbook, complete with a large set of high-quality crayons. She'd gotten it from her uncle Trophus and had it hidden away to make sure she'd be able to keep it. As for why she recovered it from its hiding place? Well, she had a dream to draw. And nothing would stop her.

~Esther Sinclair~

When she rose from her slumber, her mood wasn't any worse than usual. That didn't mean it was good, just that it wasn't especially volatile. She had already punished her daughter for her failure and intended to keep it up for some days still, which pacified her precarious temper. She was a tad irritated that her mate had dared question the new addition of truly starving her instead of just leaving out some meals, but he folded quickly and she magnanimously forgave him.

She sighed in irritation. Why couldn't her useless daughter just transform? It was the only snag in her plans. And everything was going so well too. They had negotiated an alliance with the Guinness Pack, a Werewolf Pack with roots in the Kerry Highlands. They had strong ties to the most powerful European packs and it would have been a worthy union. But her daughter just had to be a late bloomer. The first one in more than ten generations. Sinclairs transformed like clockwork. It was what they were famous for. Their pride. Their first 'puppy' transformations happened at age 4 and it only became more pronounced from there. But her daughter failed. She failed to manifest anything but some lengthened canines and pitifully short claws. Every month she failed to complete her transformation, and with every failure, the chances for a successful renegotiation were lowered further. She was growing desperate.

So she decided to... intensify her efforts. Starving her was the first step. A hungry wolf was a vicious wolf and hopefully that would push her to embrace her instincts. If that didn't work, she'd have to be more hands on. She'd start fairly light with some 'gentle' beatings. If that didn't help, she'd start with whipping to pull out the vicious nature that had to be sleeping somewhere in that useless body of hers. From there, she'd have to become creative. Werewolves healed quickly, even her daughter had that trait. That translated in far more leeway than what she'd be able to do with normies, thankfully.

She shook her head, irritated by the brat's stubbornness. She was just doing what was best for her, why wouldn't the child understand? She'd be treated well by the Guinness Pack. They'd train her up to be a good mate for the second son of their Alpha and soon, everyone would be happy. The more she resisted the change, the more she'd suffer. Truly, she laid the blame at the child's granduncle. She always knew her uncle Trophus was a bad influence, but she couldn't just tell him to not visit anymore. He was one of the more influential elders of the Pack. His gifts and the outings he took her on always made the girl softer than she was before and Esther was convinced that he was the main reason for her abysmal performance as a lycan. Of course she was a timid little thing pretty much from the start, but she would have been capable of curbing those tendencies if that old moron hadn't unknowingly intervened.

'At least I got him to back off for some time. Just had to tell him she didn't want to see anyone after failing to transform again. He lapped it up with those overly expressive worried eyes of his. Told me I should call him if something changes or if the little brat wants some ice-cream or anything else. Pah. What a soft fool he is. He spoiled my kid and now I have to put in the work to straighten her again. Why, I should really lay into him, but I can't. Not with the massive influence he wields in the Pack. I might be the Alpha, but he has enough backing to veto my decisions. He's proven that much several times already. I'll have to play nice until he finally croaks. He's pushing 200. It shouldn't take all that long anymore.'

That last thought was thought with a hint of uncertainty. For his age, Trophus was still exceedingly fit and strong. Her mood was already thoroughly ruined and it plummeted all the more when she realised she might have to deal with that old fool for quite a few years still. She calmed herself and decided to prepare some breakfast for her brood. And her mate, she supposed. Her sons had done her proud, transforming as was proper. All six of them, even the one younger than her bratty daughter. She had already negotiated good and beneficial partners for all of them. Three of her precious sons hadn't left the home burrows yet. And they needed sustenance.

She sighed as she flipped the bacon in the pan. 'What did I do to be punished with such a disobedient child?' While she inwardly bemoaned her fate, she suddenly felt heat wash over her and the hairs on her neck stood. All her instincts told her that she was in severe danger. In a flurry of motion, she whirled around snarling with her claws out. By her kitchen table, there was a beautiful man, seated with casually crossed legs as if he owned the place. Positioned deferentially behind him stood a woman. She was gorgeous in an exotic way. Her tan skin was flawless and her lips were pulled into a cocky smirk that didn't detract from her wild beauty.

The man seemed completely relaxed, not a hint of tension in his frame. But she didn't let that seemingly careless posture deceive her. She knew a fellow predator when she saw one. Both of them had that quality, the barely concealed nature that marked those living on the edge. Despite knowing better, she still struggled not to be distracted by his appearance. His angular features were truly angelic and every part of him seemed crafted to perfection. Even his somewhat tussled raven locks were a treat to look at and they made her wonder if they were as silken to the touch as they looked. Her eyes fell to the slight movement of his lips. There was a hint of a smile on them, but it didn't reach his eyes. Those were filled with bone chilling fury that matched strangely well with the heat of his presence that filled the room. With a supreme effort of will, she refrained from grovelling and begging him to forgive her for whatever transgressions caused his anger, and addressed him with some scrunched up irritation in her voice instead.

"Look, I don't know how you got in here, or through most of the territory for that matter, but if you don't leave immediately, I will call on the pack. You don't want the entirety of the Sinclair Pack to descend on you, I can promise you that. Leave and don't force my hand."

She tried to be reasonable. Somehow she knew it was a bad idea to oppose him, and she trusted her instincts on that. She didn't know what kind of creature he was but his mere presence made her wolf's hackles rise in a way she hadn't experienced before. Her intimidation tactic was received by a soft, patronising chuckle that did precisely nothing to reassure her. He shifted slightly and she was instantly on edge. His answer came with velvety softness that oozed danger. And yet, despite all her instincts telling her that she was in mortal peril, his voice was the most sinful sound she'd ever heard.

"You will do no such thing, you miserable wretch. Not that it would change anything if you did, but things would become rather messy and the clean-up would take hours. And time is the one thing I don't have readily at hand right now. Not to mention that I promised dear old Trophus to try and keep things civil. My word is my bond after all. Now, let me inform you of the reason for my presence. I came here because I was called."

He leaned forward, his expression dripping with condescension. His change in posture was perfectly mirrored by the woman. There was no hesitation, no delay. They moved in complete synch and she only now began to grasp how dangerous this pair truly was. His words began to trickle into her consciousness then. 'He knows the old fool. Why am I not surprised?' His next statements were the true shockers though.

"I was prayed to by a small girl who had not even reached ten years of age yet. She prayed to me with the pure honesty only a child can possibly muster. She offered me things in exchange for a deal that nearly made me laugh at the sheer incredulity of the situation. But what truly forced me to act as soon as I could was the profound despair. The hollow and brittle feel I got from her voice. Something that shouldn't ever be present in a child's mental representation. And do you want to know what she wanted from me? A friend. That's all she wanted. Someone to talk to her and someone who would listen. Can you imagine just how desperate a child has to be to pray to me of all Deities for a friend?"

All alarm bells in her mind were ringing. She knew that divine creatures existed but they rarely if ever meddled with mortals. They mostly kept to themselves with very few exceptions. Dread began to pool into her guts as she realised that she might have fucked up. She truly didn't think her useless daughter would reach out to someone like this. Didn't think it possible really. Even if she managed to truly reach someone of divine origins, who would ever think that one of them would deem the little failure worthy of intervention? 'Well, this one of course.' her snarky inner voice commented. She feared the answer, but she had to ask. Had to know just who she was dealing with.

"And to who did she call out? Who did she call down upon her own family? Tell me, which foul deity did she pray to?"

The answer came close to breaking her mind and the expression on his face pushed her even closer to the edge. With narrowed eyes and a predatory smirk on his divine lips, he breathed with a deceptively soft voice. With every word, his presence grew and soon she felt like she was drowning in the fires of Hell.

"Why, the foulest of them all of course. She doesn't do things in half measures, does she now? But where are my manners. Let me introduce myself, foolish mortal. Some call me the Prince of Lies. Others swear my name is Beelzebub. Far too many think of me as the Father of Sin. The Darkest of Kings is one of my favourites. There are quite a few more names to be mentioned but I really don't have the time to list them all. And even if I had, I wouldn't waste it with you. Nowadays, I'm going by the name of Lucifer Morningstar. I would say it's a pleasure to meet you, but I do not lie. In case your limited mind failed to grasp the implications, your daughter prayed to the Devil himself. And I decided to pay her a visit."

Instinctively, she knew his words to be the truth. With exceedingly smooth movements, he rose from his seated position and took a step in her direction. Terror dictated her to flee, and she stepped back until she hit the kitchen isle with her back. The satisfied curl of his lips as he locked her down and stared deeply into her frightened eyes was the stuff of nightmares. Distantly, she realised she was trembling.

"Now, let's talk business. I am here to free your... daughter from your inept clutches. Tell me, what would it take for you to relinquish your hold on her? In legal as well as all other manners of course. What is it that you desire more than anything in this world?"

His hypnotic voice lured her into confessing her deepest wishes, things buried so far down her psyche that she didn't even realise some of them herself. He pilfered her subconscious and found her lacking. And as she weeped with wide open eyes, his own flashed with crimson Hellfire for just a moment. The utter loathing that was expressed in that hellish gaze wounded her soul in ways she wouldn't ever be capable of mending. Deep inside, where there was the smallest hint of compassion hiding even from her own gaze, she understood that she deserved far worse.

"So be it."

His voice had that finality to it that made it impossible to argue. Shivering like a pup left in the icy winds of a blizzard, she cowered when he let off her. He never touched her but she felt as if he had ripped her spirit apart. With irrevocable certainty, she understood that her fate after death wouldn't be a benevolent one, and she weeped for her immortal soul. She was a Sinner. She was damned for eternity.

~Maze~

With a frown, she looked up and down the girl who was standing in front of her with bright and pink pajamas bottoms and a baby blue top filled with colourful depictions of equine mythological creatures covering her too-thin frame. Lucifer had personally retrieved her after leaving the woman a foul mess. As she looked into those bright and innocent baby blue eyes, which were staring at her with a tentative smile pairing off with them, she quickly realised. 'That's what caused the horror. No doubt about it. The Heiress to Hell will populate it with rainbows and ponies. Should I commit suicide now or later? Wait, that would land me straight in hell again...'

Despite her desolate thoughts, she couldn't help but admire the child's mental fortitude. She gleaned from the conversations she listened to that she was 'grounded' for the better part of two months for her inability to wolf out with starving having been a recent addition to her punishment. They denied her sustenance fairly regularly, but lately it escalated. She wouldn't punish even the most unruly of her pack in such a cruel manner. A sparring session and a survival training exercise or two to straighten them out, but nothing that would truly damage them permanently. They needed a firm hand but emotional damage was far more lasting and harder to remedy.

Isolation was quite literally the worst of tortures among supernatural canine races. The inability to connect and communicate would drive them insane rather quickly. But she endured without breaking. She deserved a good measure of respect for that. She even did the unthinkable and tried to comfort her tormentor, who was crying her eyes out from being granted a glimpse at the true nature of her Boss. The compassion needed for such an act nearly burned her skin away with its purity. 'If only she wasn't that damn bright...' She inwardly groaned but refused to rub her hurting eyes. The slip of a girl looked like a rainbow vomited all over her. Or maybe a unicorn. If the plushie she had clutched under her arm and her choice of garments was anything to go by, she adored those equine monstrosities.

"Uhm... Are you my new Alpha?"

The girl suddenly asked. And in Werewolf terms, she... kind of was, but not really? She was uncertain how to answer, but her boss fielded the question for her with a surprisingly kind smile on his lips.

"While she is the leader and Mistress of my infernal kennels, I am still what Lycans may call the Alpha. My word supersedes her's, but she is my capable substitute in every way, should I be unavailable. You can think of her as my second in command. My right hand. My Vice."

He smiled openly at her and she was sure she was gaping at him for a moment before catching herself. This was the first time he officially acknowledged her role in his life. She shouldn't feel as honoured as she did and she certainly shouldn't feel her cheeks heat up and her chest expand from pride. 'How does that even work?! I only have one half of a face! The other half is an illusion!' She tried to push the heat back while scowling at him and he certainly understood what he was doing. The cheeky grin spread out on his damnable lips supported that assumption.

With a huff, she turned away but not before throwing one of her concealed knives at the moron who was her boss. He caught it effortlessly of course and twirled it between his fingers in a show of dexterity. His wink made the little girl stifle a giggle as if she hadn't just seen her try and murder her Lord. Not that it wouldn't have done anything. It wasn't a weapon forged in the bowels of hell, and neither was it one that held divinity. 'Maybe she isn't so bad after all...' She mused, throwing the blonde girl an amused glance.

"Okay, squirt. Show me your room. We'll need to gather everything you'll want to keep. Try to hurry. I want this over and done with as soon as possible."

She stated somewhat gruffly and the girl nodded slowly without protest before trotting away, still clutching her unicorn. Maze shook her head with a huff as she followed. How anyone could be so damn cute, she failed to understand. 'She's like a humanoid puppy. Disgusting...' She thought to herself as she let the kid lead her through the rather spacious house. The room they entered was a bit on the small side but it was more than enough for the child. She ignored the remains of the obliterated door, which was Lucifer's work, and followed her in. The decorations nearly blinded her though. The walls were baby blue with some other colours like pink and yellow thrown in, just a few short of a rainbow. As if that wasn't enough, glitter was abound too. Maze needed a moment to reorient herself but she couldn't help but be impressed. 'I'll have to tell Lucifer about this. This psychedelic nightmare is the basis of a perfect torture chamber.'

While she had a small epileptic seizure, the child darted around the room with impressive speed and collected some things to put in a small pink and glittery suitcase. When she climbed onto her bed and the wall afterwards, Maze became curious. An approving little smirk flittered over her lips when she realised that rainbow-vomit had a secret box hidden in a hole she'd carved into the wall and hidden behind a poster of a peculiar cartoonish depiction of a blue horse with wings and rainbows for its mane and tail. It's face was strangely humanised and to her eyes it seemed truly grotesque. 'She's a tad obsessed with unicorns and horses in general...' Maze realised not for the first time. Curiously, she glanced over the child's shoulder and stiffened in shock.

"Wha...?"

The girl looked up at the sound and saw her shocked expression. She followed her eyes and found her looking at the drawing in the sketchbook.

"Ah, right. I've drawn you and Lucifer! And your doggies. And that strange unicorn. It's really warm and I like it very much. I dunno what that black cloud is but we were going there in my dream..."

It was a child's drawing, that much was clear. But the details she captured were fairly accurate. Maze immediately noticed her own face, which was half grey and half brown. Her boss was clad in a black thing that might have been called a suit by some. The wings were left completely white and both, the black hair and his red eyes were in place. Her 'Doggies' were her Hellhounds of course, but she'd drawn them as puppies instead. Still, there were red, jagged lines running over some of their bodies and they were reminiscent of the numerous scars most of the older ones had.

"You've... dreamed this, you say?"

She asked her absentmindedly and received an enthusiastic nod as a response.

"Mhm! That one's you! But you kinda only had half a face... Why is that? Are you wearing make-up right now?"

She asked curiously and Maze snorted a laugh despite how shocked she was. 'Yeah right. Make-up covering up a demon face.' Out loud, she answered a bit more seriously.

"I guess you know I'm a demon?"

At the girl's nod, she continued.

"Right. We demons can use something called a glamour to cover up our demonic traits. To fit in with humanity when we have to hunt sinners, you know?"

The blonde girl made an enlightened sound before turning her curious eyes onto Maze once again.

"Can you... Show me?"

Maze looked at her incredulously for a moment before sighing.

"You sure? It's not for the faint of heart. While it's not as bad as it is when my boss shows his... nastier side, I've had people commit suicide after glancing at it too."

She nodded and argued with impeccable logic.

"I've already seen it in my dream anyways. I just wanna know if I forgot something."

Maze shrugged while thinking. 'Might as well. If she doesn't have the guts to stomach it, she won't be fit to become the Heiress anyways.' following that train of thought, she decided to make it short and painless. Like ripping off a bandaid, she removed the glamour in one fell swoop, causing the girl in front of her to gasp. 'Now comes the crying...' She prepared herself.

"That's so much cooler than my dream... Hey, can you lick through your cheek? Are you blind on that white eye? Why does it look dead but smells just fine?"

'Can I... Lick through my cheek?...' She repeated the question she was asked incredulously in her mind before realising that she had never tried. She didn't know the answer to the most ridiculous question she'd ever been asked about her demon form. So she tried. And felt the air on her tongue as it poked through an opening in her cheek.

"Well, what do you know... I suppose I can lick through my cheek... The eye is just fine and has better sight than a human's actually. It looks dead because the ancestors of my demonic race were created by a necromantic ritual that was hijacked by a higher demon. We look kinda corpsy, but we are completely alive."

The girl, Enid, she reminded herself, nodded after processing the information before she turned around again and tried to somehow fit her box into the limited space of her tiny suitcase. Maze watched her from the side for a moment until she began to frown frustratedly. The Heiress of Hell had an expression on her face as if she was about to make a difficult decision before Maze decided to intervene.

"I take the suitcase and you'll carry the box. Fine? Fine."

She didn't give her the chance to refuse as she removed the box from the suitcase and closed it before taking it. She ignored the thankful smile that lit up her new Mistress's face and wordlessly left the room, which caused Enid to scramble after her with her box and the unicorn clutched tightly to her body.

Maze had just returned to the kitchen when she stopped to take in the bizarre scene in front of her. Three boys, one obviously younger and two older than Enid, and a middle aged man had joined their new addition's former mother. They were fearfully staring at Lucifer who had a smile on his face that begged them to start something. To allow violence to commence. The corners of his eyes were still shimmering in that brilliant orange that spoke of sin and punishment and his magnificent wings were on full display as he lounged with his elbows on the kitchen counter. She couldn't help herself. She pouted.

"Really? You had all the fun without me?..."

Chapter Text

~Enid Sinclair~

As she always did when she surfaced from a night of peaceful sleep, which was a recent development, she marvelled at the fact that the last month wasn't just an elaborate dream. Everything changed. Sometimes, it was almost too much to take in. She kept her eyes closed and took some deep breaths, basking in the floaty sensation as an uncontrollable smile spread on her lips. It felt as if there was sunshine in her chest and it kept growing more and more until she couldn't keep it in anymore. She was so happy that she didn't know what to do with herself.

Unable to take it, she tried focussing on the here and now. The bed she slept in was soft and silky. It felt more comfortable than she thought even a cloud would. The air moved slightly in a fresh breeze, feeling like a gentle touch on her face. The soft light that fell on her eyelids told her that it was morning already, but not long after sunrise. Slowly, as she blindly took in the details around her, she calmed down to functional levels of excitement. The trick was to concentrate on her breathing. It was something Maze showed her. She told her that having a good breathing rhythm would help her with staying calm in all situations. While the context in which she told her this was different, including 'fighting back' and 'kicking some butt', the advice was still useful.

Now that she wasn't overwhelmed by joy to the point where she found it hard to breathe, she could let her mind wander a bit. Like, she wasn't being punished for being unable to transform anymore! She was allowed to talk to anyone she wanted to but Lucifer always wanted to know where she was and he demanded that she was careful around strangers, so she stayed close to him anyways. He also didn't lock her into her room without anything to eat. The opposite really. She was allowed to eat as much as she wanted and everything she got was tasty! Even the veggies! And if she was good, Lucifer cooked for her himself! Everything he cooked tasted loads better than takeout. When she told him that, he winked and claimed to be a Devil of many talents. She could agree to that.

Somehow, he almost always ended up in the kitchen at least once a day anyways, saying that she was a good girl and that she deserved it. The first time he told her that while petting her head she cried, he panicked, and he shouted to Maze for help. 'Help! I think I broke her! She doesn't stop leaking from her eyes!' He cried out, which made her giggle through the tears, but they didn't stop falling no matter how much she tried to push the feelings back. The demon calmed Lucifer down and made her sit between them on the comfy couch to ground her with two solid bodies to cling to. It helped. She then told him that she heard that sometimes, humans cried when they were happy. That those tears were good tears and Enid nodded silently when he knelt in front of her to look her in the eyes and gently asked her if that was true.

He sighed from relief as he sat down on the ground in front of her. That in turn made her giggle again and he even caught her without flinching when she flung herself at him for a much needed hug. 'Honestly, making the bloody Devil worry over you. Aren't you a daring little pup?' He grumbled softly into her ear but she didn't answer, too overwhelmed from the warmth and the safety and the gentleness she felt when he hesitantly folded his arms around her. That was the first time she fell asleep on him. She later tried to apologise, but he waved her off, telling her that while she ruined a perfectly fine Armani with her incessant (she had to look that word up) crying, her happiness was more important by far.

That was another thing. Praise. And someone caring if she was happy. Slowly, she was getting used to it. She rarely cried anymore when he told her she did well or when he petted her. If she wanted to be a big girl, she had to keep it together! If only it wasn't so hard to contain all her happiness all the time! It always pushed outside, made her smile and sometimes cry, and it refused to be contained. She tried to be more serious, like Maze, but it just didn't work. Somehow, the moment she wasn't paying attention, she was smiling again. Because this month was amazing. Because she had friends now. And a Pack. And they cared for her. How could she not smile when she suddenly had everything she ever desired? 'He really is an angel, no matter what he says. Only an angel can bring so much happiness. Shame on those dummies who believe otherwise. And if no one else sees how wonderful he is, that's their loss. More Lucifer for me and Maze.'

She nodded heavily with her eyes still closed, but she would keep those thoughts to herself. She knew his past as one of God's Angels was a no-no topic for him. But privately in her own mind, right besides that cozy warmth that kept pulsing through her, she thought it. And she knew she was right. And maybe, just a little bit, she disliked God for making Lucifer think he was less than he was. Her deep thoughts came to an end when suddenly, a big shadow loomed over her. She opened her eyes and all she saw in front of her was a grotesque, red maw that looked as if it was bleeding. It was filled with teeth and smelled of sulfur and fire. Her eyes sprung wide open in panic when it descended upon her viciously.

"No! Don't do it Cherona! I'm up! I'm awake! You don't need to! Please!"

Her pleas gave way to squeals and giggling as she was slobbered all over while she tried to defend herself against the soaking affection of an enormous Hellhound who decided she needed a bath in spit. It took her several minutes to somehow get her to stop, and the infernal creature looked mightily proud of itself as she plomped down besides her on her bed with her massive head on her paws. The little girl caught her breath from the struggle and the laughing and turned her entirely ineffective glare onto the smug hellborn monster before pouting.

"That was so mean and unnecessary, Cherona. I was already awake. There was no need to try and drown me, you know?"

The self-satisfied creature didn't deem her worthy of an answer and continued lying there while panting softly, complacent in the knowledge of her successful prank. The blonde girl huffed in feeble annoyance even as a smile spread once again on her lips. She pushed the canine lightly before crossing her arms, not that it did anything more than draw an amused side-eye and a deep rumble from her chest. Enid may have been stronger than normal children, but Cherona wasn't exactly a normal dog either.

She sighed and gave up her attempt at being unforgiving. She was really really bad at that. Lucifer told her she shouldn't forgive her mother for everything she'd done and said so easily, that she didn't deserve her forgiveness. But Enid didn't really care. She was too busy loving the new people in her life to resent those who didn't want her in theirs. Instead of trying and failing to be angry at the massive hound, she hugged her around her neck and promised.

"I'll get you back for that. When you don't expect it. You won't know what hit you. You'll be all confused and glittery and stuff."

The huff from the heavily scarred hound seemed to say 'bring it on.' Before she once again drew her oversized tongue all over Enid's face.

"Ugh. I'll have to wash up before going downstairs... I should do so anyway. Behave while I'm gone! And stop snooping around! I've already shown you everything I brought with me! Even my secret box! There's nothing new to sniff out!"

Her exasperated but affectionate words fell on deaf ears as the canine creature began scenting the air and jumped off the bed with surprising grace for such a massive creature. She began to trott around before Enid even left the room, making her shake her head with barely concealed fondness before she ignored it in favour of cleaning up the mess Cherona made of her face and clothes. Not so secretly, she enjoyed the attention of the oldest Hound in Maze's Pack. She couldn't help but think back to their first meeting one month ago. They had just left her former home and she was uncertain what was going to happen. Even though she trusted Lucifer and Maze, she was still scared. Everything would change and that was a thought that made her stomach clench differently than hunger did. But then she saw a small mountain of a hound lying in the front yard and all apprehension fell away.

~Flashback~

As soon as her hesitant gaze fell on the big doggy in the garden, all hesitation was abandoned. Her tightly clutched unicorn fell to the ground as she darted towards the canine. Instinctively, she knew she wasn't in any danger. Before she could even think about what she was doing, her short legs had already carried her over to the biggest dog she'd ever seen. Even bigger than that ginormous St. Bernard she'd met slightly more than a year ago. The hellbound creature opened one of her eyes as she raced towards her and shifted with a slightly raised head to allow her to throw her arms around her neck.

"Oh you are so cute! Look at you! Who is the cutest doggy? You are!"

Later, she'd learn that the big doggy was supposed to be a fearsome Guardian of Hell. A monstrosity who had protected her Master from harm many times over and had stricken despair and terror in uncountable souls as well as demons because even the most grievous wounds couldn't keep her down. Supposedly, she was the most vicious and persistent of all the Hounds in Hell. But she didn't believe all that nonsense except for the protection part. In front of her was the cutest doggy ever. Her tongue lolled out when Enid scratched her behind her ears and her tail made *swish, swish* sounds as it rapidly wagged. It seemed as if she wanted to fly away like a helicopter. How could she be anything less than the best of all dogs?

~Flashback end~

That wasn't to say that her pack mates weren't also good boys and girls. Sammy was the best at hiding since he could transform very well. Mally was a big boy who slept most of the time. He never complained when she leaned against him for a nap and he sometimes curled up around her to keep her warm and safe. Carrey barked a lot, but that was only because she was nearly as excitable as Enid and they often unintentionally annoyed the others, only for Murray to try and rein them in. Somehow it always ended the other way around with him getting in on the fun without comprehending how or why it happened. And finally there was Riley. She rarely left Maze's side and hid in her shadow most of the time, but when she was out, she was friendly and Enid loved her just as much as the others.

'Should I brush my teeth now or after breakfast?' She mused thoughtfully after washing up. Squinting her eyes at the mirror, she decided to clean them now and again after her late morning snack since she wanted to hug and kiss her friends and morning breath was an enemy for that endeavour. She wasn't used to eating again so quickly after breakfast, but Lucifer and Maze said she had to eat more often since she was growing and Werewolves needed lots and lots of calories during their childhood. It wasn't a chore since she always seemed to be somewhat hungry.

She put on the black shirt with pink sparkly print telling everyone that she was the cutest little Devil Princess. She got that one from Lucifer. She paired it with dark red comfy trousers and was soon ready for the day after combing through her mane. She loved the shirt. Not only was it the first gift she'd gotten from him, but it's i's were also dotted with the cutest little hearts. Throwing her mirror image a wink and a giggle, she hurried out of the bathroom and jumped at Cherona who took her 'attack' in stride and simply changed her direction for the door with Enid clambering onto her back.

"Do you think there will be a tutor again today? I liked the last one, she was funny. But Lucifer said she wasn't good enough. Somehow, they never are. I dunno why he invites them when it ends up with him being frustrated and teaching me himself anyways..."

She asked Cherona as she draped herself all over the Hellhound's back soaking in her warmth. Her steed gave no answer, knowing better than to involve herself in silly human affairs. Enid wasn't going to school yet because Lucifer said she'd need to... acclimatise? to her new surroundings, whatever that meant. He promised that she'd be allowed to start going with the upcoming school year in some months. She'd take some tests to ascertain that she wasn't behind and then she'd start her second year in a new school with new classmates and teachers and everything. It was a bit scary but she had Lucifer and Maze and all the Hounds so she could deal with everything. The thought of having a family that cared once again expanded her chest in that strange way and she couldn't help but squeal in joy while hugging the hound beneath her tightly.

"I'm so happy, I just can't!"

She didn't know what she couldn't but the statement felt right so she left it at that. Cherona released an amused half-huff half-bark to communicate her thoughts on the matter and shook herself a bit to make Enid concentrate before trotting down the stairs carefully to not accidentally throw her off. It happened once and while she found the entire thing hilarious, Lucifer, Maze, and the Hounds fell over themselves from worry even though she assured them she was fine. They were worry-warts but she liked that about them.

"Onwards, my mighty steed!"

She called out while pointing in the direction she'd smelled Lucifer in. Idly, she wondered if her sense of smell was getting better because some days ago, she'd have needed a moment to sniff out his scent. She shrugged it off and simply hummed happily as Cherona continued her steady walk.

"Well, who do we have here? I had heard whispers of a tiny slip of a girl being abound in these woods. The rumours weren't amiss for once, it seems. Someone finally deemed us worthy of her presence."

The words had a teasing lilt to them and they were laced with affection and warmth, telling her that he didn't mean to chastise her about anything, but she still apologised with a sheepish grin.

"Sorry, Lucifer. It's just so hard to believe. Every day I wake up thinking it was all a dream. And then when I realise it isn't, I have to lie there and calm down before I explode from happiness!"

He seemed non-plussed for a moment before one of his rare softie smiles spread on his lips. It eased his usually somewhat sharp features and made him seem far more approachable, especially with that gentle glow in his eyes. Not the occasional Hellfire she'd spied in them when he was irritated, but a far more gentle flame that was not corrupted by Hell, or anything else really. With that glow and the smile that made her want to beam back at him firmly in place, he answered even as he skillfully folded another yummy treat.

"Oh, it's quite alright, my dear. Take all the time you need and don't hesitate to ask for help should you need it. I do mean it every time when I tell you that I will support you in any endeavour you want to tackle. That said, I have some Crêpes already made and would offer them with fresh fruits and whipped cream. What do you say to some of those for breakfast? Tell you what, I'll up the suggestion with some of my home-made hot chocolate. Why, I was offered a truly exclusive Mexican brand as a part of a minor deal just yesterday. You have to try it. It's positively sinful."

He winked at her with a cheeky grin before turning back to the stove. She didn't know what to do with her hands since she knew he had problems with hugs. She wanted to be considerate of his personal space but she also wanted to just throw her arms around him and never let go. He was so gentle and patient and he was always there to reassure her. He was warm and safe and everything she ever wanted in a dad... Her breath hitched with a silent gasp and her mind blanked when that thought hit her. She was completely still for some moments, but she managed to pull herself together just as Lucifer began to look worried. She smiled brightly at him and nodded with enthusiasm that was mostly genuine, which seemed to calm him down. While she waited for him to finish setting the table, she acknowledged that the thought was silly. She'd love to have Lucifer as her dad, but why would he want a useless and broken little girl like her as a daughter?

~Lucifer Morningstar~

He watched his adopted spawn with the slightest of frowns on his brow. Something changed and he didn't know what. Oh, she was behaving normal enough. After she removed herself from Cherona, she sat down at the table and began to... eat, becoming more and more sticky as breakfast commenced. As always, a part of him watched in horrified fascination, incapable of looking away as she demolished whatever unfortunate morsel landed in front of her maw. He was just glad that he had the Devil's luck and that she needed no prompt to clean herself after the massacre. Honestly, he had seen less traumatising battles in Hell than what she did to her poor breakfast every morning.

And the worst part was that every time he tried to bring it up, she would look at him with her head slightly tilted in confusion. Even covered in copious amounts of food, she was far too adorable for her own good and he failed time and time again to chastise her for her lacking table manners. 'Tomorrow...' he told himself unconvincingly and turned his attention back to the original issue. She was acting as per usual, but there was a certain tension. It wasn't quite dishonesty, but he was certain she was trying to hide something. Deciding to give her some time to approach him herself, he resolved himself that he'd ask her about it in the evening after dinner. He wouldn't press, but he would ascertain her of the fact that she could approach him with every problem she had, no matter how inconsequential it seemed to be. He did vow to always have an open ear for her after all.

But that wasn't the reason he wanted to hear about her problems. She had only been with them for a month, but already he was rather fond of her. Which was a bit of an understatement to be honest. Having her in their lives was a unique experience and if he had to put a label on it, he'd say that watching her prosper was fulfilling in a way he hadn't expected. He felt fiercely protective of her and her happiness, and he would probably go to war for her should it ever become necessary. 'I do not lie. Not even to myself.' He chastised himself. 'There is no need to add that unnecessary addendum 'probably' to that statement.' He mused further with some wry amusement. 'Look at me. It hasn't been long since I thought of children as loud and sticky nuisances. Innocent, yes, but oh so vexing. Well, that much hasn't changed. Mine is just better in all respects.' Smug pride filled him at having a clearly superior model compared to those pedestrian examples he had seen running around.

"So, what do you want to do today?"

He asked her softly after she committed unspeakable war crimes at the breakfast table, which miraculously left her shirt untouched. He inquired about her plans more so to distract himself than anything else. Though he made sure to genuinely listen. It was a special day after all.

"So... No tutors today?"

She asked with that lethal headtilt that could make him do things he never even considered before. Like using his celestial endurance to skimp on rest just to read ludicrous amounts of child-care books. Or patting her head and telling her that she did well, and making bloody crêpes when he should still be sleeping off a massive orgy, just because he wanted to see her eyes light up at the sight of them. She was turning him into a gormless fool and he couldn't do a single thing about it.

He even called in a favour after realising that one of those published and highly decorated experts about child psychology owed him. Those talks were enlightening. She did refer him to a fellow expert. While she wasn't specialised in child psychology per se, she was a marvelous local therapist who often took family cases. Dr. Linda Martin. He seriously considered hiring her. All of his efforts didn't go unnoticed. He'd seen several knowing smirks on Maze's lips in the past few weeks and it all added up to a strange kind of frustration that was somehow far less irritating than he would have thought. Altogether, this experience was a novelty he never knew he needed. A second or two had passed since he went on his mental tangent. His mind worked quite quickly thanks to his celestial physique. Nevertheless, she did expect an answer and he would provide.

"Not today my dear. Don't you remember what today is? It's been exactly a month since we rescued you from the clutches of that... woman. We should celebrate that, don't you think? We also already went through all of the first grade material and you far exceeded my expectations in yesterday's quiz, which is another cause for celebrations. You deserve a break and a reward. Name anything and it is yours."

She worked through his statement in her mind. He intentionally didn't simplify his speech much. She had a bright mind as he had already noticed, and while she seemed to lean towards the kinesthetic learning type from what he'd read, she certainly didn't lack in the others. She was capable of connecting clues and reading the context of a sentence far better than children her age usually did. At least that was what the internet and his own observations told him. She also seemed to like looking up words she didn't know beforehand and then coming to him, looking all proud about learning something new. It was adorable and he refused to miss such scenes from his life. And once she looked something up, she rarely forgot it. It didn't take her long to work through what he said, and her eyes lit up with her lips spreading into the widest smile he'd seen from her as of yet.

"Anything?..."

She asked softly and somehow that word filled him with foreboding dread. A kind of terror settled in his gut that he hadn't experienced since little Azrael blackmailed him into brushing her hair 15.000 times in a single day. Even with his body being beyond almost any other, he had a severely cramping wrist afterwards. He almost obliterated that dimwit Remiel when he pranked her two days later and accidentally burned her hair, making all his hard work for naught.

Resurfacing from his traumatic memories that had been buried for centuries, he looked at Enid apprehensively before closing his eyes and sighing. He visibly steeled himself. He was a Devil of his word, so he surrendered and nodded hesitantly. Her next words put genuine fear into him. She clutched her hands to fists in front of her chest and looked at him with glimmering eyes.

"Disney Princess Marathon..."

She whispered in a tone of voice that was reminiscent of those who were truly obsessed with something or another. Most of those individuals were disturbing on a deep level, but he could understand their fixations, having fallen prey to something similar once upon a time. Back when he created the stars and decorated the firmament with them. He was a tad obsessive over it all. The symmetries and patterns. The intensity of each and every glowing dot in the night sky. 'But seriously? Obsession with Disney Princesses?... Oh well, it could be far worse.' He mused. He would come to regret those thoughts as well as looking into her puppy dog eyes when she asked her next question.

"Will you watch with me?"

And he couldn't answer any other way. By the Devil, he tried. But he failed spectacularly.

"Of course my dear, whatever you wish is what I said. And my word is my bond as you well know."

The way she vibrated with excitement as she seemed to glow from the inside was worth the horror that filled him. He'd endure any torture just to see it again. 'One month was all it took. Oh, let's be honest. She had me ensnared after a week...' He confessed to himself as he waved his hand and used his inborn telekinesis to cleanse the kitchen. If he had to suffer, so would Mazikeen, was what he decided.

"Let's collect our favourite demon, shall we? She... deserves to take part in our merrymaking too, don't you think?"

A self-satisfied smile curled his lips for a moment when she enthusiastically nodded before storming off to search for the wayward demon who was probably still asleep. All the better. Her resistance to Enid's puppy dog eyes was far lower when she was still muddled by sleep. In the meantime, he'd try to do some damage control by limiting the choices to those he could maybe endure a tad better. He refused to listen to that infernal torture yet again. If she wanted to let it go, she should just do that instead of tormenting his poor ears with her incessant wailing!

~Mazikeen~

Her ears were ringing, she was a bit disoriented, and her brain felt decidedly more mushy than it should. One movie after the other. In her mind, they melted together into some unholy concoction that was slowly and insidiously killing off her braincells. If it had such a strong effect on her, how bad would it be for those deserving of infernal punishment? New ideas for inflicting untold agony onto the wicked aside, it wasn't that bad a day all things considered. While she would certainly pay Lucifer back for siccing his rainbow spawn on her, seeing her this happy brought her some satisfaction too.

Enid was the Heiress of Hell after all. Maze was duty-bound to care for her. There could never be another reason for her to concern herself with the child's wellbeing. While she was trying to delude herself, she wandered through the residential floor of their apartment, only to hear Lucifer's voice from the colourful spawn's room. Curiosity pulled her closer and soon, she was eavesdropping as she leaned beside the door. The reason for her interest was the fact that she had never heard her Boss speak in a gentler tone before.

"Now, my dear. Why don't you tell me what has been on your bright mind since before breakfast? Something has been eating at you the entire time and I am loath to let your happiness be infringed upon by anything."

There was silence for a minute or two before a halting answer came.

"Do-... Don't worry about it, Lu- Lucifer. It's nothing important."

She tried to sound as cheerful as usual, but even Maze could hear the distress in her voice. Not to mention the uncharacteristic stutters. She wasn't good at picking up cues like that. Lucifer was far more attuned to her mood and was easily capable of soothing most of Enid's more volatile moods during this month. She might have given him some grief over it, but secretly, she was impressed just how well he handled the little hellspawn. Parenthood was a surprisingly good look on the Devil.

"Oh, that's simply not true at all. Every single thing that stems from your mind is important, my dear. Doubly so if it causes you pain. There is no shame in admitting to your fears. I promised to always lend an open ear to you, but that is not the reason why I want to listen. Dearest Heart, what I truly want is to take all your pain away, but I know that simply isn't possible. So I'll have to settle for the next best thing. Sharing it with you to ease the burden. Will you please tell me what's wrong?"

At no point did he raise his voice above that gentle and warm whisper that somehow soothed even her own mind and it wasn't even directed at her. This wasn't the Devil coming out to play, she realised. This was his angelic side, and she didn't think he even realised just much influence this girl had on him. Not that he would care if he did. She should loathe the spawn for unearthing that side of her Boss. For softening him enough to show traits long buried beneath the influence of Hell. But she didn't. And that was that. No need to overcomplicate things. She startled from her thoughts when Enid raised her voice.

"See?! That's the problem! You are so caring and warm! You soothe my fears and take away my nightmares! You sing to me when I am sad, and you read me stories you don't even like, and you even watch movies with me that you really don't want to watch! How can I not think that I want you to be my dad!"

The revelation she shouted in his face hung there for a long tense moment. Maze was shocked, she had to admit. Her heart beat a bit more painfully than usual and she wondered what was wrong with it.

"Oh, my dearest, it seems you misunderstood something entirely."

If at all possible, Lucifer's voice softened even more. The gentleness permeating through it had the potential to make grown men weep. She'd know, because she had to force back her own tears and there wasn't a single man on earth tougher than her.

"I-... Hic. I know! I'll try not to think of you like that. I know I'm not worth it, but-... Hic. I can't help it..."

'Ah, so that's heartbreak.' She thought absentmindedly as her hell-forged organ crumbled for this girl.

"That's not it at all."

Lucifer's voice gained strength. The authority in it made her straighten her spine. His next words fell back to the gentle care that somehow was capable of caressing one's soul.

"Ever since that fateful day, I already considered you mine. In every way that counts, you are my daughter. The only reason I didn't claim you verbally was because I thought it was too early. I wanted to soothe you into your new life before springing another change on you that would upend your worldview. I wanted you to be ready. Never would I have thought that you think yourself unworthy of me. If anything, it's me who is unworthy. I am a corrupted being. I am the Lord of Hell. How can I ever claim to be the father of someone as pure and innocent as you? You, my dear, quickly became the brightest star in my own personal firmament. And I'd be honoured beyond belief to be considered your father. It would be my greatest achievement."

She wasn't crying. She wasn't! Clearly, there was some dust left in this seemingly spotless hallway. In hell, she could have walked through the Desert of Purgatory without so much as a single blink. Earth truly made her soft.

"But... I can't even transform! I'm worthless! Just a pitiful broken half-wolf! No one would want me! That's what mum told me..."

She could hear Lucifer's wrathful growl and it resonated with her own. How dare that washed up bitch. She contemplated packing some silver knives and making a round trip to cull the pests around LA, but thought better of it when she imagined Enid's teary eyes the next day when she heard of it from the news. She'd need another outlet for her fury.

"Nothing could be further from the truth, darling. You are a treasure and your mere presence brightens my day. For a long time I felt lost, but in you I have found my guiding light. You make me remember times where everything was good. Where I wasn't a bitter and sinful creature, tainted by the sins of myriads. A time where I found acceptance in the arms of my siblings instead of scorn and loathing. And while the memories are bittersweet and marred by betrayal and abandonment, you make me want to live up to that image I had in mortal minds back then. Just as you bring the light to me, I want to light your steps all the way. If you'd let me, I'd like to claim you as mine in all ways, including those pesky legalities of the mortal world. How would you like it to take my name? How would you like it to become Enid Morningstar? Because that is what you are to me. My very own Morningstar."

"I... You... Really?..."

Her soft and insecure voice ground the small and pitiful fragments of that infernal pump in her chest further down until only dust remained. Maybe emotional torment was her forte? She certainly excelled at it.

"Of course. I do not lie, did you forget? Every word I said, I meant. You are the most precious thing in my life and nothing will change that. All this would change is me having a legal claim on you. You are already mine in all the truly meaningful ways."

Maybe she was crying. Just a bit. She had to be if she was distracted enough to get caught completely unaware by the mighty shove from behind. Cherona pushed her from the side until she was in front of the half-opened door, and shortly after, she was pushed over the threshold. In front of her, the Devil was tenderly embracing a young girl shaking like a leaf as she was crying silently. She was noticed quickly and the girl opened up the embrace with pleading eyes. It took her only a moment of hesitant contemplation before she stepped closer and fell to her knees. The arm that pulled her in was small, but surprisingly it was strong enough to unbalance her. She felt the girl shift a bit and answered her shy and considering gaze sternly.

"I'm not going to be your mum."

She nodded before telling her with a slightly more upbeat voice, though it was still laced with a hint of emotional distress.

"Yeah, you are not a mommy."

Thank the Devil for the small mer-...

"You are the fun aunty."

She stiffened in the tiny pup's embrace, making her giggle wetly before she nuzzled into the hollow of her neck and doing the same with Lucifer shortly after. 'Eh, it could be worse...' She accepted her new role in the Heiress's life with the aplomb of someone used to dealing with the ridiculous antics of one Lucifer Morningstar. Besides, a small part of her relished in the feeling of being included in this small, exclusive family. Before she had any time to contemplate, they were collectively barrelled over by more than 200 kilos of dense infernal muscles in the form of a scarred canine. Lucifer's tame child friendly cursing and Enid's giggles made for acceptable background noise as she contemplated how to butcher the overgrown bitch who had thrown herself into the embrace out of ill-advised jealousy.

Chapter Text

~Enid Morningstar~

When she was told that there was something in the mail for her, she thought it might have been an apology letter from Santa for not getting her a pony for Christmas. She'd already forgiven him and she even kinda sorta understood. Her room was pretty small and she was grounded often. If she had a pony, it would have been miserable with her and she didn't want that.

The smile with which she was received was a special one, she immediately noticed. It was tender and made her feel a bit gooey inside. In her mind, she labelled the smile as chocolate fudge because it was sweet and warm and soft. Wordlessly, he handed a letter to her. It wasn't from Santa. Probably. She carefully opened it and froze.

It had been a week since she broke down in front of her Dad. A week since they all ended up cuddled together on her bed. A week since she realised that he really wanted her. And now, in her hands was another proof for that statement. Awed, she carefully held the papers signifying her adoption. Again and again, she read over her new name.

"Enid Morningstar... This is so much better than an apology from Santa..."

She whispered and felt a bit faint from joy. She knew the feeling and understood that she was moments from being overwhelmed again, but she honestly didn't care. If she really ended up fainting, it would be for the best of reasons. Before it could come to that, she was suddenly lifted from the ground. Her attention turned to her Dad (Officially! He was her Dad now!) and she noticed that he looked faintly worried. His warm, brown eyes were asking questions and she felt compelled to answer.

"I'm ok, Dad..."

Her breath hitched when she addressed him. She'd called him that shyly a few times this week, just to get used to it she told herself, and she always felt a burst of joy when she did and his entire face softened. Every time he answered her call or reacted in any way, she felt the warmth in her pulse. This time, it was so much more though. She threw her arms around his neck and clung to him desperately. She fought against the tears and did a good job, letting only a few escape. He gently rubbed her back in soothing circles while whispering assurances into her ear. Slowly, she calmed down and pulled herself slightly away to meet his soft eyes.

"I'm ok now."

She amended her earlier claim. The adoption papers were a bit crumpled from their hug but she folded them carefully and hugged them to her chest.

"Before you came into my life, I hadn't thought it possible to be too happy."

He grumbled with affection and mirth in his voice. She couldn't let that slide. He taught her all kinds of stuff, but this time, she had to educate him. No one else seemed to try and so she had to do the job. She did it gladly, if only to pay him back for all the good things in her life.

"It isn't."

She claimed firmly. Because it wasn't. One could never be too happy. She had to make him understand. There was no such thing. It was just, she was still small. Her body wasn't ready for the amount of happiness she was experiencing recently. She just needed to grow. A bigger body meant more space for all the good feelings. He looked amused when she explained that.

"I see... Well then, let's get you something to eat, shall we? To grow, you will need loads of nutrients, after all. And don't forget your promise. "

She did feel a bit hungry after clinging to him for who knew how long, so she nodded. As for her promise? She'd try, but everything he cooked was just so delicious. Sometimes, she just lost control. She explained to him that she was used to wolfing down her food because sometimes, her brothers stole what little she got. The quicker she ate, the less chance there was that she'd go even hungrier than she was going to be anyways. He had angry eyes then, but not at her. He calmed down after she hugged him though, so everything was alright. He was so silly thinking she'd be scared of his fiery eyes. They were part of him, how could she be scared by them!

As she clung to him from the side, soaking in his warmth, she marveled at the way he was cooking with only one hand. Some of his movements, she didn't even see and the ingredients seemed to arrange themselves for him, floating under his knife just as he went to chop them. She knew he had that strange ability to let things float, and it was always fun watching him use it. Suddenly, a small piece of sausage floated in her direction. She observed it curiously until it was close enough. Then she struck, trying to catch it with her teeth. She failed since it avoided her by suddenly speeding up. Again and again she tried, only to fail each and every time.

"Daaaad, stop teasing me! You're being mean!"

She finally called out and he chuckled as it floated close one last time. She bit into it and hummed at the taste of it, instantly pacified. She loved meat and desserts and fruits and even veggies, but only if her dad cooked them. Not the bitter ones though, those were icky. Sour was ok if it was paired with something sweet. The combination always tickled her tongue and she liked the feeling.

She looked curiously at her dad's side profile, taking in the flawless skin and the light stubble on his cheeks that tickled her when she nestled into him. He really was pretty. She poked his cheek, causing him to side eye her curiously.

"I'm ok now. You can put me down if you want."

She told him. She was a big girl and she didn't need to be carried around. Even though she enjoyed the sensation of being pressed to his strong and solid body. It made her feel safe like never before.

"Oh, I know. But I have no plans to relinquish my hold on you, my dear. The devil caught you and you are trapped now. I won't let you go, even if you struggle like the fierce princess you are."

She giggled at his words and hugged herself close to him.

"Oh no! What will I do? I guess I can only hope you grow bored with me."

Her unconvincing acting drew a deep chuckle from him before he answered with an intensity in his voice that would convince anyone of his honesty.

"I will never grow bored of you, my dearest hellspawn. I claimed you and you are stuck with me. You're mine now. Deal with it."

Warmth bloomed in her chest again and she tightened her embrace.

"Deals are your thing. Acceptance is mine."

She told him, and somehow it rang true. As she leaned against him, she was slowly lulled to sleep. A nap before lunch sounded good right now. The last thing she noticed before sinking into blissful slumber was her dad humming a beautiful tune that promised restful sleep.

~Amenadiel~

He shrugged away his wings after landing in a random empty alleyway of Los Angeles. He supposed he appreciated the irony of Lucy choosing the City of Angels to settle in this plane this time around, not that it changed anything. Like always, he'd try to persuade him verbally at first, and if he was especially stubborn, he'd beat him up and throw him back to Hell by force. It was the way things worked between them.

He took in the surroundings only to have his lips curl in disgust. How humanity, his Father's supposed biggest achievement, could live in such filth, he'd never understand. Clearing his thoughts from his idle musings, he concentrated and searched for his brother's signature. Surprisingly, he found it quicker and easier than usual. Something was different about it but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. 'Can't be that important.' he decided before he resummoned his wings and shifted locations in an instant. Things like physical space only had a very minor influence on Celestial beings.

When he reappeared, he immediately noticed the warm colours surrounding him. Luxurious and tasteful wooden furniture was interspersed with light creamy colours and elegant light sources that spread a warm glow. Altogether, it painted a far more domestic picture than he expected, but he had to admit that his brother did have an eye for such things. It was surprisingly calming. His attention focused on the figure standing in front of an enormous window that wasn't far from being a glass front. As always, he was dressed immaculately in a stylish suit. Midnight blue was today's colour and it mixed well with his light complexion and his raven locks. He was nursing a glass half filled with what he guessed to be expensive alcohol.

"Amenadiel. To what do I owe this questionable pleasure?"

Lucifer greeted him mildly and something told him yet again that he was different. That he should tread carefully. Dismissing it as his imagination, he answered with a challenging smirk on his lips, though Lucifer couldn't see it as he still had his back turned.

"Come on Lucy. You know why I'm here. Do we really have to do this dance every single time? In the end, the outcome is always the same. With you back where you belong, nursing some bruises you could have avoided if you'd be more obedient. Why don't we spare ourselves the trouble and you wing down there yourself?"

He didn't react for some moments. When he finally did, he still refused to turn around and face him, much to his irritation. His answer made Amenadiel sigh before he frowned heavily.

"No."

It was just a single word but the weight of it surprised the warrior. He should have been used to the refusal, but for some reason it had different connotations than usual. A memory was tickling his mind but he refused to recall it. He refused to be intimidated by his baby brother. He was just about to press him when Lucifer continued to talk.

"Let me warn you, Amenadiel. If you try to force the issue, I will fight."

He wanted to scoff. To remind him of the many times they scuffled and how he had won all of them. He didn't get the chance to do so because Lucifer wasn't done talking and if he had one trait that remained from his angelic origin, it was his ability to draw the attention to himself. His own words were stuck in his throat when The Lightbringer's presence grew.

"Let me emphasize, Brother. I won't play. I won't pull my punches. I will not hold back."

Slowly he turned around and for the first time in millennia, Amenadiel felt fear. Because he finally allowed himself to remember. To recall where he heard that tone from Lucifer.

'Cease this foolish behaviour at once! This Rebellion ends here!'

'No.'

And then he fought his own Father. The Almighty. He fought him and he made him bleed. In front of him wasn't Lucifer, the sinful creature he had become after falling into the pits. His eyes were alight with cross-like stigmata, signifying his Grace. They were blazing brighter than he'd ever seen before. Even though his wings weren't manifested, they still shone brightly enough in their pocket dimension that he could make out their faint outline behind his brother. Metaphysical heat that left the mortal plane untouched, but singed his skin slightly, built up around him and he showed once more why he was called the Bringer of Light. Every flame, every flicker. Every reflection and even the faintest sources of a shine were his to command. When he spoke this time, Amenadiel didn't just hear it. He listened.

"It's different now, Brother. I have a reason to stay. I am not being rebellious. I am not defying you for the sake of it. If you try to send me back to Hell, I will rain down Hellfire and vengeance on you. I will do my absolute best to ruin you, even if every wound I inflict on you will rip my infernal heart apart. I will attempt to pull down Silver City itself to stay by her side. Nothing will stop me. Not you. Not Michael and the Celestial Host. Not even Father. No. One."

He hadn't raised his voice even once. Everything he told him, he did so with a tone that communicated that what he was talking about was irrevocably true. That there was no changing it. It reminded him why even back then, when he was still Samael, the compassionate Light in their hearts, he wasn't one you'd want to cross. The casually commanding presence he exuded was stifling to the point that made it hard to stand straight in front of him. Amenadiel was strong. He knew he was at least in the top 5 of all Angels in terms of combat power in a direct confrontation. Top 3 on a good day. It was something he took pride in. But in this moment, standing in front of The Lightbringer, he felt weak. His resolve wasn't nearly as deep and absolute as Lucifer's and it showed in his wavering will. In the way his confusion influenced his thoughts. He had to ask. Had to know why he was putting up such a fight.

"All of that for a woman?... You'd fight to the death against your own brother for some mortal female?"

He asked weakly. Because what else but love could have inspired something like this in his Brother? He didn't expect the gentle laughter that left Lucifer's mouth even as his eyes turned back to the dark brown colour he was used to by now, though far warmer than he remembered.

"Amenadiel. While technically, you aren't exactly wrong, I think you misunderstood something. Enid?! Be a dear and come here! There is someone visiting who I want you to meet!"

He called out to someone and seconds later, he heard the pitter patter of tiny feet. A blonde child dressed in nearly psychedelic colours entered the room with an enthusiastic smile on her face. Her eyes lit up and her smile widened even further when she saw Lucifer. She made an immediate beeline to him and threw herself into his arms while calling out to him. He was sure he misheard because he could swear he heard her call Lucifer 'Dad' and that just wasn't possible, right? His brother slowed her down a bit with his telekinesis and plucked her from the air with one arm to hold her up while he accepted her embrace.

'What...'

His mind failed to grasp what was happening. The blonde child called Lucifer dad again in a softer tone and he didn't correct her as he answered some of her quickly fired questions. The more shocking sight was the expression on his face, however. He only ever saw something similar on his brother's flawless visage once before, shortly before he rebelled. He was looking at his youngest siblings at the time. But even that adoring gaze paled in front of the unconditional Devotion that was clearly visible for everyone to see. Amenadiel had to blink. Memories of his Mother looking at him with something akin to this came to his mind unbidden. 'What is going on?...' He called out desperately in his own head. Of course, no one answered his desperate plea for information.

He felt slightly faint from the revelations. She couldn't truly be his, biologically. Fertility and compatibility issues aside, he came to earth less than a year ago and the child looked to be anywhere from 6 to 8 years old. 'Though, maybe half celestials just grow quicker?' He thought uncertainly and focused slightly on his domain over Time. Relieved, he had his question about her age answered and was all the more certain that she wasn't Lucifer's since he certainly was in Hell back then. 'How is it then that I can feel a trace of his Grace on her? And it's not a simple touch either. No, it is intrinsically linked to her soul! Far more deeply than a Revelation or anything like it ever could achieve! She is mortal! That just shouldn't be possible!'

"So that's your brother? Amenidil? Does that make him my uncle?! You look like you're made of chocolate! That's so cool!"

She suddenly exclaimed, mispronouncing his name and comparing him to mortal confectionaries. She looked at him with a curious gleam in her eyes before it dimmed and made place for suspicion and fierce protectiveness.

"You weren't mean to my dad, right? He told me that his family was also sometimes mean to him and that I don't need to be ashamed of talking about it."

She turned to Lucifer again and told him with a determined voice that had more strength of will than should be possible for someone of such a young age. Her words were a strange mix of adorable and horrifying.

"Don't worry, dad. This time, I'll protect you. Maze showed me how to make someone's wrist hurt by putting some pressure on a nerve cluster! She said to do it when someone tries to grab me and then I should kick their nuts before running away. I dunno what she means by kicking their nuts though. I tried searching for it but I only found some guy kicking coconuts into the ocean and I don't think that's what she meant."

She pouted and Amenadiel winced. He knew Maze, of course. She was the Mistress of Hounds and exceedingly loyal to Lucifer. He didn't know the exact story as to how she came into his service, but that wasn't important. He usually hated demons in general. He did have some respect for this particular one in his brother's employ, though. The second generation Lilim was a formidable warrior and surprisingly honourable for a demon. Teaching the little girl how to defend herself from predators was entirely in line with what he judged her character to be. Especially if she was important for the man in front of him. He was pulled from his thoughts by Lucifer's affectionate chuckle.

"There is no need for such drastic measures, my dearest Hellspawn. I've already told him off and he will behave as long as he is here. Isn't that the case, brother?"

His piercing stare challenged him to make a liar out of him. He had no desire to do so, knowing exactly how he was likely to react to such an act. He had no desire of tussling with Lucifer when he was as high-strung as he was right now. He needed to think first, and maybe ask some questions. He nodded agreeably which seemed to mollify the girl. With her curiosity back in place, she too nodded.

"That's fine then. Nice to meet you. I'm Enid Morningstar and Lucifer is my new daddy since my old family didn't want me!"

'Adopted she is then. That answers one question and opens up several others.' He looked at Lucifer a bit warily when he noticed the skin around his eyes tighten. A hint of Hellfire flashed through his gaze, but it was gone as quickly as it appeared and he had himself under control again. Amenadiel did notice him protectively pulling her closer and her shifting unconsciously to accommodate the changed grip. They were so in tune with each other, and it baffled him. From their mannerisms alone, he could have been excused for believing her to be biologically his.

"Do you wanna eat with us? Dad said he made a nice stew named goulash in the afternoon and that it would be ready for dinner. It has meat and vegetables in it. I'm sure it's tasty! Maze said she likes it because it's nearly the colour of blood."

She invited him and he hesitated for a moment. He still remembered the few times they met up more amicably and had a meal or two together before Lucifer went back to Hell out of his free will. The Lightbringer was a good cook back then and his skills certainly didn't worsen over time. Finally, he nodded after searching for approval from his brother and receiving a fond eyeroll for his trouble. Though it was most certainly directed at little Enid, it also tacitly signalled him that it was fine to stay. And so he did.

Over the course of the meal, he observed the dynamics around him while being observed in turn by an entire pack of Hellhounds and their Mistress. Enid introduced all of them and he didn't have the heart to confess to her that he already knew them all. Some of their scars were inflicted on them by him after all. They weren't all that resentful about it since they paid him back copiously and inflicted their fair share of wounds on him too. Especially Cherona.

She was a fierce and vicious fighter and even though Gabriel managed to heal the wounds without them scarring, he still sometimes felt a bit of phantom pain when he thought of her bites. From the way she looked at him with that satisfied and somewhat hungry gleam in her eyes, she knew it too. And she wasn't opposed to taking another bite out of him. He suppressed a shudder and took in the picture in front of him. It was subtle but every single Hound was positioned in a protective way around Enid. She herself was seated between Lucifer and Mazikeen. Which was most likely the safest space in all of the mortal plane.

As he watched his brother interact with the small girl, he noticed more and more hints of Samael as opposed to Lucifer in his behaviour, much to his surprise. His voice for example. Oh, it still had that hidden promise of temptation and danger. The Devil's Golden Tongue if you will. But there was a softer quality to it when he interacted with Enid. One he had nearly forgotten with how long it's been since he heard it. Another change was his gestures. He was used to the underlying rage and disdain in every movement.

He could even understand where it was coming from. He felt betrayed by his family and vilified by humanity. Amenadiel might not have agreed with the Rebellion and the following fallout, but even he could admit that things weren't exactly good and cozy even beforehand. Making Lucy responsible for everything bad that happened in the Silver City wasn't just unfair, it was absurd. Sadly, many of their siblings didn't agree with his standpoint. As for humans vilifying him, he was a bit baffled about how that came to be, actually. While he was somewhat responsible for having him associated with goats, he never claimed him to be in any way evil. He once asked Father, but he just told him to drop it so he did. He was the obedient son after all.

Now though, his gestures were gentle. There was no rage in his interactions with the child, hidden or otherwise. No obscured tension. He was open with her. She fully accepted him, and he soaked it in. And wasn't that a strange turn of events? He asked some subtle questions and pulled the whole story from his... niece. Strange thought, that. Apparently, she prayed to Lucifer for a friend. And he answered by adopting her. From what little she gave away about her situation in combination with that little slip earlier about mean families, it was probably a good thing. He inwardly sighed even as he enjoyed the finale to an absolutely delicious meal. Homemade Crumbled Cinnamon Apple Pie with chocolate drizzle and imported Italian vanilla gelato. Simply divine.

'She is good for him...' He acknowledged finally while licking his spoon to make sure he got every last lick of the dessert. He was the only one among his siblings who still had regular contact with Lucifer. Sometimes, he even just visited him in Hell under the pretense that he was making sure he didn't escape again. Lucy knew that was nonsense but he never called him out on it. So he knew. He knew that the man in front of him hadn't been this relaxed in millennia. He knew he hadn't been this passionate about anything since The Fall and probably a long time prior. 'It isn't just that he values her highly enough to use his Grace for her. She pulls out the best of him. I can literally see Light pulse between them, for Father's sake... But Father told me to bring him back to Hell as quickly as possible...' He was conflicted. What was he supposed to do? Idle curiosity made him ask one more question.

"How long has it been since you two met, by the way?"

Enid made to answer but craned her neck to look at Lucy instead when he softly laid his hand on top of her head before she leaned into his side to enjoy the affection.

"It's been 44 days, 8 hours, 13 minutes, and... 16 seconds since I met my dearest Morningstar in person. But who is counting, right?"

If there was anything left of his pie, Amenadiel would have choked on it from surprise. Just over a month and she brought about such an intense change? Not to mention how absurdly cute it was that he had the exact moment down to the second in his head. The pleased little smile, red cheeks, and teary eyes on Enid's tiny face told him that she thought so too. 'Is that a tear in Mazikeen's-...' before he could even finish the incredulous thought, he had to dodge several hell forged knives. While each and every one would have struck home if he hadn't moved, the speed at which she'd thrown them was easy to deal with. Those were warning shots, he realised. The entire scene seemed to amuse Enid if her giggling was anything to go by. He didn't dare having any more thoughts about Mazikeen's completely absent and never seen feelings that were obviously nonexistent. Especially after the wrathful glare she sent him.

"Me next! Throw some at me!"

Even Lucifer was looking at the Demon incredulously when Enid started clamouring. The Mistress of Hounds shrugged without care and answered the unasked question with a bored tone of voice.

"We use well balanced plastic knives. She saw some circus performers on TV and thought she can do better than them. Turns out, she's right. Right now, she can dodge 8 out of 10 Knives I throw at her. And believe me, between me and that circus moron, I am far superior at handling knives."

He took in that lazy and dangerous smirk on her lips that did nothing to hide the proud gleam in her eyes when she looked at little Enid, and couldn't help but nod. He didn't doubt that claim at all. Things calmed down after that and he was pulled into playing some boardgames with the lot. He only accepted because it gave him more chances to observe them. Not at all because his niece begged him with her puppy dog eyes on full display. Quickly, it became obvious that she wasn't that great at games of chance but she never lost her enthusiasm, always smiling or playfully pouting. It was clear that she was happy with the Devil, his Demon and their Hellhounds.

'As soon as possible, Father said. But... he wouldn't want me to risk his pretty little sandbox, would he? I guess he'd be fine with me staying close and observing? Maybe I'll make a deal with Lucy. I won't bother him too much and in exchange, he'll go down once a month or so to make sure things are in order. That should be satisfactory for everyone included.' having made his decision, he simply enjoyed his time and basked in the long lost sense of Family permeating the home of the person he thought least likely to find such purpose again. 'Let's be honest. Lucy was always the most unpredictable one.' He thought with reluctant fondness as he rolled his dice. His face lit up with a smirk.

"Oh, it's another Six. Now, watch me Lucy. That's my final piece and I'm placing it in the Start area. So much for the Devil's luck. Can't even compete with the Angel of Time."

He did a little victory dance in his seat that made Enid laugh and Maze snort before throwing another cocky smirk at his little brother. What could he possibly do against it? As it turned out, a lot. He should have known when that unholy gleam entered his eyes. Lucifer made it his personal task to hunt down his lone figure before he could bring it home. Time and time again, he had to start over until the other two had finished, after which Lucifer himself managed to put his leftover three pieces into their rightful home, making him the only one not to finish. Lifelessly, he fell back into his seat with a sigh before turning his empty eyes onto Lucifer.

"Brother, you suck."

And if everything else wasn't already telling enough, the fact that he visibly restrained himself from making an innuendo out of that statement would have convinced him that the girl was an absolute marvel and a good influence on her dad.

~Chloe Decker~

As she sat on the bench while keeping an eye on her daughter who was playing with a blonde girl she met earlier, she couldn't help but notice the man sitting on the bench next to hers. He looked profoundly out of place. First of all, his appearance. It was as if he jumped straight out of a fashion magazine. He was gorgeous with skin any woman would envy. He was perfectly proportioned and beneath his suit, she could spy the hint of deceptively powerful muscles. She wasn't a detective for nothing. She had an eye for such things. The suit was another thing. He was dressed in what seemed to be an Armani. And not one of the 'cheaper' ones, but a high-end piece. She was sure it cost more than what she made in three months.

That wasn't the only thing that caught her attention though. Lying by his feet and enjoying the idle scratches he was bestowing on it was the biggest dog she'd ever seen. It looked like a cross between a mastiff and an Irish wolfhound. What made her heart clench a bit were the numerous scars that littered its body. At first she thought he might've been abusive but she immediately abandoned that train of thought when she noticed how utterly relaxed the dog was with his touch. That, and she could hear its tail cutting through the air from wagging too hard.

Altogether, he was striking a really odd picture, but one thing set her on ease like nothing else. It was the way the corners of his eyes crinkled as he looked at what she assumed was his child or at least a close relative. The adoring smile he had on his lips didn't just enhance his beauty (He was gorgeous!) But it also softened his angular features in that special way that showed he truly loved whoever he was looking at. It was the same way she remembered her own dad looking at her with, and it brought an unconscious smile to her lips.

"Do you like what you see? Maybe you want to take a picture? I can pose for it if you want. I was told I have a talent for it. Dad knows there are enough women out there who use my image for carnal purposes."

His amused voice entered her ears and she blanked a bit because it just wasn't fair that someone so gorgeous was also blessed with such a sinful voice. It was deep, and smooth like silk. She quickly noticed he was talking to her, and then she registered just what he had said. That made her bristle a bit. She wasn't a hormonal teenager who would be led around by her nose.

"Don't be so full of yourself. You may be attractive but I'm not that desperate."

She snarked, only to blush lightly when she noticed just what she'd said. It deepened when he glanced knowingly at her with a cocky little smirk on his lips. He leaned slightly closer and purred.

"If it is any consolation for you, the attraction is entirely mutual, detective."

Alarmed, she stared at him, moments away from going for her concealed gun. 'How does he know?!' Shot through her mind, only to follow his meaningful gaze and notice that she'd forgotten to put away her badge before bringing Trixie to the park. She blushed yet again, which was more of a reaction than she'd shown in front of any man in years, soon-to-be ex-husband included. She shook her head lightly to clear her mind and tried to guide the conversation to safer shores.

"So... Which one is yours?"

His eyes told her that he certainly knew what she was doing but he was merciful enough to let it go. Instead, he answered her question with a slight flourish.

"Why, mine is the most blinding ray of sunshine that ever graced this subpar collection of playground equipment with her presence. The only reason I took her here was that she wanted to make friends with other children. That, and I bloody lack any and all resistance to those damnable eyes of hers. I'm so proud..."

He certainly had a flair for dramatics, and his very pleasant British accent lent itself well to it, she admitted with no small amount of amusement colouring her thoughts. He seamlessly changed his mood as it fit him, and only his eyes expressed his true feelings. Utter adoration for his daughter. It was kind of cute, actually.

From the corner of her eyes, she noticed someone approaching Trixie and the girl she was playing with. Uncertain if it was the other girl's father or a relative, she wasn't sure how to handle the situation. She was just about to go over anyways, better safe than sorry as they say, when the strange man besides her suddenly stood.

"If you excuse me for a moment, detective? I'll be right back."

Her back straightened at the change in tone. His voice was quieter, but far more intense than before. The way he moved spoke of a seasoned fighter, all grace and no wasted movements. Without prompting, his dog followed along. They made their way over to the man who had approached her daughter and made to intercept him.

When the man noticed him, it was already too late. And she was too far away to intervene. She feared the worst and was already readying herself for the inevitable violence her daughter would have to witness. That wasn't what happened. Instead, the dog split off silently and placed itself in between the two men and the girls, much to her daughter's joy.

The well-clad man was talking softly enough with the other one. She was too far away to listen in, but from the looks of it, it probably would be better if she intervened. The stranger was beginning to shake and sweat. She could swear she'd seen an orange light flash around them before he started to really break down crying, but she played it off as a trick of the afternoon sun. By the time she'd made her way to them, the man she'd talked to had his pleasant façade back in place. He turned to her with a friendly smile that didn't reach his eyes, and addressed her.

"What fabulous timing, detective. I was just about to wave you over. David here has something to confess to you. Don't you, David?"

His voice was dark and dangerous. A soft promise she didn't understand was reverberating through it. And It made David's face whiten considerably before he began crying again and stuttered out words that horrified her. She had never seen such terror on any man's face before. His head whipped to her as he squatted on the ground. He was shaking all over, but the words tumbled from his mouth anyways. And they disgusted her enough to nearly make her vomit.

"I... I'm sorry! I never lost control like this before! I-I always had it under control! But when I saw those two... They... Are so pure! So-, Hick, So beautiful! I couldn't resist!"

Her daughter would never learn just how close she came to being exposed to one of the worst things a child could ever be exposed to. She had no idea how to thank the stranger who had protected her daughter's innocence. Absentmindedly, she handcuffed the pedophile and called in a car to take this piece of filth with them. When she turned back to her daughter, she found the enigmatic man interacting with the blonde girl who had played with Trixie. All the potential Danger had bled out of him and he was as gentle as a kitten while soft smiles and hugs were exchanged. Then the blonde girl kissed his cheek and nuzzled into the hollow of his neck, which seemed to make his entire being come alive.

She feared her daughter would try and come over, but when she showed signs of doing so, the man stopped her gently and distracted her with his dog. Quickly, she began petting it with joy and Chloe's heart eased when she heard her giggle and squeal as the massive hound drew its tongue over her entire face with a single motion. A loud 'Eewww!' followed by more giggles was the result and she finally relaxed a bit.

She chastised herself for freezing up like a rookie. She should have been over there the moment someone approached her daughter. Anything could have happened just because she didn't want to make a scene. Her daughter's safety should always have the priority over propriety. This once again solidified that particular tenant to live by and she swore to never ever forget again.

As soon as the child-predator was collected, and wasn't that thought a disgusting one with her daughter no ten meters away, she approached them a bit uncertainly. By now, the girls were playing again and the man was sitting on the ground, leaning against his dog who had curled up behind him. She didn't want to interrupt Trixie's playtime but she needed to be closer to her, so she wordlessly asked if it was alright to approach. The man made a single gesture and touched the dog lightly, which made it shift slightly to make space for her. She hesitated to sit down, only to have her hand grabbed by him with the words.

"Oh, for the love of... Stop being so skittish, woman. She does not bite as long as I don't tell her to. And I don't until you ask me to. You are completely safe and sound, and so is your daughter."

He softly pulled her down beside him and she leaned back slightly. The words and the warmth of the body behind her were enough to relax her a tad, especially when her daughter noticed her being close and joyfully barreled towards her.

"Mooom! Are you done working now? I have made a new friend! Her name's Enid and she's so cool! She can push me on the swings as good as dad! And she has pretty nails! They are blue and orange and yellow and she told me her dad coloured them for her and she did his! Can we do that too?! Please?!"

She didn't say anything at first, only pulling her closer and embracing her. She was safe and sound. Not at all disturbed from what could have ended up as a traumatic experience for her. And she had to thank a stranger for that. Firmly, she decided that nothing would ever stop her again from making sure she was safe. When she finally answered her daughter's question, she did so with a gentle smile after compartmentalizing away her tears. She'd shed them later, in the safety of her bedroom.

"Of course we can, monkey. I have some dark blue and red at home, but for other colours we'll have to stop on the way."

Trixie nodded enthusiastically and pulled out from her arms way too quickly. She watched her run back to her new friend, the stranger's daughter if she read their relationship correctly. She was surprised just how well the two girls got on. Her little monkey wasn't usually one to be quickly attached. Years of broken promises from her father made her wary in a sense she shouldn't be as a child and it always broke her heart just a bit. It was the main reason why she was so certain that the divorce was necessary. She couldn't stay married to a man who put his work over his own child. Shaking off those depressive thoughts, she glanced over to the man who had inadvertently saved her daughter from trauma.

His frame was a bit tense and his brows were slightly furrowed. He was watching his daughter like a hawk, and she couldn't exactly fault him for that. The opposite, really. Before she could address him he began to talk. If he was just stating his thoughts out loud or wanted to have her opinion, she didn't know, but she listened anyway.

"It's not safe enough. There are children here. Innocent little beings who have yet to lose their trust in this world. All it takes is a single moment of carelessness and the child could be gone forever, swallowed by the darkest desires of humanity. I want my daughter to make friends. I want her to experience the joys of childhood wholeheartedly. But I could never be at ease knowing that there might be those close by who prey on her innocence. Why is there no additional safety?"

She understood where he was coming from, but...

"That's what we parents are for. It's our job to keep the little ones safe."

He threw her a side-eye that made her feel as if she was stupid. It had been years since she had been the target of such a patronising gaze. No, that wasn't true. Her still-husband was plenty patronising and since Palmetto, she received those kinds of stares from her colleagues too. It was just the first time in years she'd been affected by it like this.

"With all due respect, detective. If we had been just a tad more distracted with each other, we wouldn't have noticed that... Maggot until he'd have made contact. I would have ripped him apart and fed his remains to my Hounds of course, but it would have been too late. A piece of their innocence would have been gone, forever lost. While I know that disillusionment with the world is a natural part of growing into the best person you can possibly be, if only because those with a will strong enough will try to change the world to better conform with their ideals, I want to preserve what is left from my daughter's innocent worldview as long as possible. And I certainly don't want it to be lost because of one of these pests."

She ignored his threat of violence because she could hear the dismissive honesty in his words and didn't want to contemplate taking him into custody for something she agreed with. Instead, she focused on the rest of his statement. She had to admit that it resonated with her, but no matter how she turned it over in her head, there was simply no feasible solution to this dilemma. In an attempt at easing the mood, she jokingly said.

"Well, you'll just have to make your own playground then."

His back stiffened and his eyes went wide in surprise before he turned an absolutely radiant smile onto her and her brain failed to make sense of the situation. Enthusiastically, he exclaimed.

"Why, that is a fabulous idea, detective! Oh, I'll have to make arrangements! I will have to call in quite a few favours, but..."

When she finally recovered from that smile, she watched in detached horror as he planned and plotted. 'What have I done?...' She thought to herself absentmindedly. Surely, those ludicrous ideas he was throwing around weren't actually going to be made reality? Her focus turned to him again when he once again beamed at her and thanked her with sincere eyes.

"Thank you for opening up my narrow mind! If there is no solution for a problem, I simply have to make one! The thought is splendid in its simplicity!"

To his childlike joy, she couldn't say much. All that made it past her uncertainly smiling lips was a hesitant.

"You're... Welcome?"

He nodded and stood up. Like a derwish, he swooped over to his daughter, grabbing her from behind and cuddling her giggling form close while spinning several times. He then placed her onto his shoulders before exchanging some words with her daughter. He then returned to her with a spring in his steps. With a gentle smile, he held out his hand to her and she took it, letting him pull her up with surprising strength.

"I am so sorry that I have to cut their playdate short, but I do have some deals to make and some favours to call in."

He quickly handed her a business card that she received reflexively and told her to call him when little Trixie wanted to meet up with Enid again.

"Your urchin is far more tolerable than others. My dearest hellspawn is still a far superior model, but your offspring is the one who came closest to matching her radiance from all the children I've met so far. Be proud, detective. It's high praise from the Devil himself!"

He danced out of the playground without awaiting her answer and stopped by the ice-cream vendor at the street corner, pointing at her with a mischievous smirk before taking their cones and then he was gone. Bemusedly, she looked down at the business card he handed her and laughed incredulously. 'Lucifer Morningstar. If you ever want to make a Deal with the Devil, call this number.' The guy was crazy in more ways than one. 'Just... What is my life?' She asked herself the question that would haunt her for years to come, not that she knew that right now. Her daughter pulled at her sleeve and beamed up at her when she paid attention to her.

"What is it, my little monkey?"

The question that came out of her mouth made her curse the name of the Devil for far different reasons than usual.

"What's a hooker, mommy? Lucifer said my name is a hooker's name. When I asked him what that is, he told me it's a kind of nice ladies and if I want to know more, I'll have to ask you. Are you a hooker, mommy?"

It took her a moment to register her daughter's words, but when she did, she couldn't help the exasperation and indignation flooding her. How dare he?!

"God damnit, Lucifer. And this after all this talk about innocence..."

She grumbled under her breath while contemplating how to go about forbidding her daughter to use this word without explaining what it meant. She was distracted by the ice-cream vendor entering the playground and coming over to them with a dazed expression on his face, carrying two cones with him. She was confused as to why he was bringing them the snack, even though she delighted in the way her daughter's eyes lit up when he handed it to her. Her confusion was cleared up spectacularly when he started talking with wonder in his voice.

"That... That man just paid 4000 dollars for four ice-cream cones because, well, he said I look like a good man... My son's birthday is coming up and I was desperately trying to somehow gather enough to buy him a second-hand bike. Now I can buy him the mountain bike he wanted, and I can pay off four months of rent, all at once..."

He seemed close to tears, but managed a tremulous smile before he wandered back to his small ice cream cart. 'What a chaotic man... I wonder how he knew caramel crunch is my favourite? Or that Chocolate cookie dough is Trixie's for that matter?' She thought as she smiled wrily. She didn't even try to deny the warmth that spread through her chest as she enjoyed her frozen treat together with her daughter.

~Lucifer Morningstar~

As soon as they reached home, he began working on his plans. As soon as he had made certain that Enid was happy and cared for, that was. And It had paid off. A satisfied smile pulled on his lips in the best way possible. Everything was coming together. The workers were coming to Lux the upcoming days. He was glad that he pushed back the club's opening to have enough time for Enid's needs. It made what was to come easier. Experts for all matters of necessary procedures had been arranged.

This included a team of soon-to-be handpicked child psychologists with the delightful Doctor Linda Martin at its helm. He had only talked to her over the phone as of yet, but she had agreed to at least hear him out personally before she shot him down. That was all the chance he would need to convince her, he was sure. The reason for his insistence on hiring her was her absolutely stellar reputation. She was known for her uncompromising stance on impartiality, such as treating outcasts as well as normal folks the same no matter how many complaints she got for it. Her advice was said to be valuable and on point, and she was especially well suited for families with children because of her soothing presence. On paper, she was perfect for the job, so he wanted her. If she lived up to her reputation that was.

Additionally, he'd have a legal team to face any and all challenges that might come with this. He was sure some moronic mortals would try to throw stones at him for his possible motivations, so he needed to be ready. He also needed people to make decisions in his potential absence, which was why he decided to implement something he'd seen in schools as well as corporations alike. A Board of Governors. To counter any of the usual corruption, he would personally vet those on the Board to make sure they had the best interests of the children in mind and nothing else. That, and Maze would be his own set of eyes in there once everything started up in case he couldn't be present himself.

He didn't yet know just how big this was going to be, so he bought the three buildings around Lux, just to be on the safe side in terms of space. A massive project was taking form and it gave him a sense of purpose like never before. It was a refreshing sensation and he thoroughly enjoyed working on it. Which was why he was a tad surprised to be addressed rather suddenly.

"What's got you into such a good mood, Brother?"

The deep voice of Amenadiel pulled him from his mind. He glanced at the tall man who looked every bit the warrior he was. He had a surprisingly easy smile on his lips and the spark of affection he had spied in there several times over the eons he spent in Hell was far more pronounced than usual. He couldn't make rhyme or reason out of the change in his demeanour, so he put it all down to Enid. The girl had a way to worm herself into even the closest guarded hearts. His brother had no chance to even try mounting a defense, the big softy.

"Oh, plotting nefarious schemes to finally plunge humanity into the abyss of their own depravity. You know, same old, same old."

A sarcastic smirk took the place of Amenadiel's smile and he glanced at the many papers in front of him, only to have it replaced by a confused frown.

"Pray tell, Brother. How exactly do you want to accomplish such a thing with ludicrous amounts of playground equipment, padded floors, snack bars preparing healthy snacks that are sweet enough to entice children, and... Is that a carousel? A permit for building a petting zoo? What the heck, Lucy?"

He refused to be embarrassed. Nothing was sure yet. He only had the barebones in his head and it needed to be fleshed out by him in combination with other minds of the field. This was important for the growth of his daughter. He couldn't risk making mistakes that could have been avoided by careful planning.

"Don't you see, Brother? I'll slowly, insidiously poison the minds of easily swayed children. They'll trickle back into society, influenced by the enthusiasm and purity of my daughter. And before you can blink, she'll have all doors open for her. The people in the highest positions will have experienced her magnetic personality while playing in a place that fulfills children's dreams. And they will all have an open ear for her. And through her, I'll hold all the influence on this planet! It's ingenious! But all of that is merely a side benefit. Just think of all those single mothers at my mercy. Oh, the fun to be had... I'll truly enjoy tempting them into my kind of depravity..."

Amenadiel blinked before his face pulled into a pensive frown. Slowly, he nodded, though his reluctance was visible.

"That does sound like one of those harebrained schemes cooked up by your twisted mind. I'm not convinced, though. It's all for Enid, right? To help her make friends?"

Sometimes, rarely so mind you, but sometimes his brother was sharper than he gave him credit for. He leaned back in his comfortable leather chair and smiled enigmatically while offering Amenadiel a glass of scotch. A 70 years old Macallan, it was. Truly a decadent brew. He hoped his brother appreciated it as much as he should.

"I'm neither confirming nor denying these allegations."

He non-answered his question. The amused twinkle in the Angel of Time's eyes as he took the offered drink and eased himself into the couch across him didn't irk him nearly as much as it used to. He pondered over the fact and decided that his wordless acceptance of his desire to stay with his daughter was a big part of his newfound tolerance. There were appearances to be kept, however.

"Wipe that smirk off your face you glorified pigeon."

Before he could begin to indignantly bluster and grandstand, he threw a folder at him. He caught it, confusion written all over his face, but Lucifer just nodded his head at it and he took the hint. He read through it once, then another time and then another before his incredulous gaze fell upon him. Lucifer just smiled that self-satisfied smile that was known to drive his adversaries into insanity.

"What... What is the meaning of this?!"

He looked at Amenadiel in that way that was sure to make him feel like a simpleton. Which, if he was entirely honest, he was far more often than not. The Angel of Time had a one track mind. Once he had decided on something, he would try to bullheadedly push his head through, no matter the cost. Like all Celestial beings, his brain had the capacity to be much more impressive and quicker than a mortal's ever could be. Sadly in his brother's case, the only thing that meant was that he was dumb faster than others.

"That is your mortal identity. How would I register you as my daughter's uncle and one of her emergency contacts if you don't have one of those? Do try to keep up. This is getting embarrassing."

His snark was entirely ignored when suddenly, there were tears in his brother's eyes. Lucifer's own widened as he thought. 'Oh dear Dad, no.' He didn't do sentimentality with his siblings. He just didn't! Which was why he tried to escape, but it was too late. Amenadiel used his claim over Time to slow him down just a tad and caught him in a crushing embrace. He fiercely tried to struggle out of it while calling for the oaf to unhand him, but he didn't even react and just kept him in his clutches. He sighed long-sufferingly before surrendering to his fate.

"Yes, well. There, there?"

He tried to pacify the muscle-bound moron he called brother while awkwardly patting his shoulder from the cumbersome position he was in. It didn't work. If anything, the embrace tightened. 'What did I do to deserve this?...' He thought miserably as he endured. It was something he learned to do quite well in Hell. Time flowed freely and he was becoming impatient. 'This is ridiculous!' He raged on the inside. It had been minutes and his brother was still not showing any signs of releasing him. He had half a mind to call on his Hellfire, just to remove him from his person! Luckily that wasn't necessary as the joyful cry of Enid was enough of an incentive to be released from this uncomfortable torment.

"Amy!"

He sighed in relief when his daughter once again became his salvation, and he snickered at the nickname she'd pegged him with. He looked faintly uncomfortable as he caught her tackle-hug, but his hold on her was secure and careful.

"You didn't tell me you'd visit! Why didn't you say anything? We could have taken you with us to the park! I met a new friend there today! I'll have to introduce you to her next time. Her name is Trixie and her parents are police officers! Isn't that cool?! Not as cool as having the Devil as my dad and angels as uncles and aunts. And a demon too. But still cool! You have to meet her!"

Watching these two interact didn't cause the expected surge of jealousy. Instead, he relished in the fact that his brother was just as caught as he was, treating Enid with entirely uncharacteristic softness and a gentle touch. He was usually rough and blunt. It was in his nature and that was the reason he never truly resented him for his treatment. Oh, he could pretend otherwise for short periods of time, but never for long. It was one of the ways in which he showed his care. Amenadiel feared that Father would punish him even more harshly if he didn't fulfill his duties satisfactorily. So he made sure he did in any way possible. If he fulfilled Father's wishes at the same time? All the better. On a subconscious level, he always knew this. But only recently, when he started to get in touch with his Grace again, did he realise it consciously.

It was a startling revelation and it made him think if he misunderstood any of his other siblings too. He shelved that for later. It was too heavy a thought to contemplate without proper preparations in place. Copious amounts of high-quality alcohol for example. When Maze and the Hounds joined them, things became a bit rowdy, but he didn't dare say anything. The unbridled joy on his charge's face was enough to forgive any and all transgressions. Well, that and the fact that much of the fun to be had was at his brother's cost helped, he supposed. He took it like a good sport though, only showing some wry amusement at the ribbing from Maze and the playful bites from Cherona.

Somehow, his evening ended up being once again filled with a boardgame. Disney Monopoly was chosen this time. He was surprised by how well Enid did to be honest. She was tricky and had a startling mind for business, it seemed. The alliance she struck with Cherona was astonishing for them all. Less so the fact that the oldest Hound began to lose interest in the game when it became clear that they were dominating. She had no use for easy prey. In the end, it came down to him and Enid, and his luck seemed to have abandoned him. Slowly, she whittled him down until he had to concede. With a proud smile he told her.

"Well done, my Guiding Light. You truly crushed me beneath your tiny feet. Be proud of yourself, for you defeated the Devil himself at his own game."

The way she ducked her head shyly before flinging herself into his arms to hide her embarrassment would forever be put on a podest in his prodigious mind. It was time to bring her to bed, however. Soon, she was ready and he read her a ridiculous story about a unicorn that somehow made acorns bloom into roses. Just... Which sick minds were thinking up such tales? It did help put his daughter to sleep, so it at least fulfilled its purpose.

Rejoining the people who had become fixtures in his life, he smiled gently as he accepted little Samson in his lap. Enid affectionately called him Sammy, and he was the smallest of his Hounds. He was also the one with a prodigious talent for Glamours. No one really knew what he originally looked like and in all the time he took different forms, he probably forgot himself. Samson didn't bother himself with that fact, though. He was happy the way he was, every day someone or something else. As he sat there with the Hound on his legs, he endured the light teasing from Amenadiel that his own subconscious abandoned him in favour of Enid. He couldn't really claim otherwise without lying. Another topic came to the table when his most loyal subordinate confronted him.

"What is it that I heard? I was gone for a single day and all the plans for Lux are thrown out of the window and were replaced by another of your... unique schemes?"

Maze asked with a sharp smirk on her lips. It oozed danger and he understood that she was a bit irked. What he did seemed to be on a whim after all, but he genuinely thought it was a splendid idea. Wordlessly, he handed over the things he had already decided on. She quickly looked through it and incredulously raised her left eyebrow at him. He'd have been more worried had it been the right one. That one meant that she'd pull her feet every step of the way. The left one meant that she could be convinced. And convince her he did.

"It's for Enid."

She pouted as she leaned back into the couch. Her arms crossed, she mulishly stared at him while wordlessly demanding her share of the alcohol he had earlier served Amenadiel. After receiving her priceless scotch, on ice like the heathen she was, she finally sighed.

"Fine."

And just like that, another important gear was confirmed to be part of this. His brother watched the interaction with a smile on his face while nursing his own glass. Silently, they enjoyed each other's presence until Maze had enough companionship for the evening. Amenadiel followed her example by leaving soon after. It didn't take long until he was sitting there on his lonesome, not that he minded. While he did enjoy the company of his dearest people, which for some inexplicable reason included his oldest brother as of late, he appreciated the silence that allowed him to think. Only it wasn't to be.

Hey Lucifer! It's me, Trixie! I just wanted to thank you for saving my new friend! She told me you took her away from the mean people after she prayed to you and that you are giving her all the cuddles she needs to feel better. I read about you and my abuela always says you are evil, but I don't think so. I hope you have nice dreams about rainbows and candies! Good night!

He choked on the sip he had just taken and coughed out some of the priceless alcohol he definitely didn't want wasted. Once he wasn't trying to cough up his celestial lung anymore, he leaned back and mused while clearing his throat. 'Bloody hell. What is it with children praying to the Devil? I don't know if I can deal with this...' Contrary to his thoughts, there was a small smile filled with wonder on his lips. Though he couldn't understand why little Beatrice Decker wished for him to have such traumatising nightmares.

Chapter Text

~Chloe Decker~

She didn't expect much when she turned on the TV as background noise for her long overdue housework. She certainly didn't expect the man she failed to remove from her thoughts to be shown on screen.

"In a frankly baffling move, the eccentric billionaire Lucifer Morningstar has announced to have abolished all plans for building a nightclub in LA. Instead, it's going to be a children's playground. You heard right. For some reason, this man claiming to be the Devil himself, decided to build a playground for children in the middle of Los Angeles. And not just any playground. From what little he has released of the plans surrounding this project, it will be a truly humongous venture."

'That madman is actually doing it?... I thought he was just being crazy!' Her thoughts raced as she remembered all the ideas he threw around back then. If he realised even half of those... She didn't know if she should be horrified or touched that he'd go this far for his daughter. In the end, she decided to give in to the incredulous laughter that bubbled up in her.

She quickly calmed herself, however. The report wasn't over yet and she was kinda curious how this would turn out. They spoke of his plans for safety which included private security firms and more guards than most banking institutions had hired as well as video surveillance in undisclosed key areas. There was talk of a tasteful 'Parent's Lounge' where the adults could relax a bit, organised playgroups with pedagogical experts overseeing them, and many more features no one had ever even considered for a playground. There were even rumours of therapy being offered to children and parents in emotional distress. That wasn't even talking about the fact that he somehow managed to acquire ownership of several pieces of prime real estate in the middle of LA, just to build this.

The more she heard, the more her humour was replaced by wonder. She thought the idea was ludicrous and simply not implementable. She thought it was just a flight of fancy that would soon die out again when he'd realise just how much work it all would be. She found it cute that he wanted to go that far for his daughter, but didn't really take him seriously. It seemed she'd underestimated his drive. Suddenly, it didn't seem so unachievable. The plans he'd made were feasible, if expensive to realise. There was deep contemplation and planning in this project and it didn't seem to be the whimsical talk of a rich and delusional guy anymore.

"And now, we will get to hear about the motivations for this project directly from the source. The man of the hour decided just this morning to call in a press conference in front of the building that was supposed to become Lux, a new and shining addition to LA's nightlife. It is certainly an unusual move to preempt news articles on his person like this, but it has happened before. Our correspondent at the scene, Perry Walters, just sent word that it is about to start. Over to you, Perry."

She was surprised by how much attention this whole thing got. And how he managed to get the permits for something like this. 'He must have friends in really high positions...' She never expected the local news to be filled with a children's playground of all things. Though, to be fair, it wasn't just any playground. Big moves from rich people always caught the public's attention and if nothing else, this was a very big move. Smacking something so unconventional into the middle of LA was bound to draw eyes, she supposed.

The scene on the screen changed to a building that was clearly undergoing construction. It quickly focused on the front of it where a small podium was placed. Slowly, with measured grace and relaxed steps, Lucifer came out of the building and wandered up the podium before showing to the masses of journalists in front of him a smile that bordered on impolite but didn't take that last step. She once again acknowledged that he was a truly attractive man. His intentionally tousled hair moved slightly in the breeze and the expensive suit he was wearing clung just right to his frame.

It was a surreal sensation watching someone she had seen goofily playing with his daughter, and dancing a jig to music only audible in his head just to entertain her, stand all serious and composed in front of an army of journalists.

His appearance silenced the clamouring horde instantly. She was impressed by the charisma he exuded without even uttering a single word. He truly had a flair for dramatics. All eyes were on him when he opened his mouth to speak. His rich and smooth voice easily reached every ear above the noise from the construction site behind him despite the fact that he wasn't even slightly straining his voice. The British accent she only found charming when she met him now added a sense of sophistication to his words in this setting.

"You people came here out of curiosity. Because things often change drastically when rich people move. Well, I have nothing to hide. Ask your questions and I shall provide answers."

There was a moment of complete silence during which his words were registered before they began screaming over each other. She had been witness of many a press conference. She had even attended several as part of a protective detail. And yet, it never failed to horrify her how much people could act like vultures. A certain Nick Hofmeister came to her mind and her lips curled in disgust. Suddenly, a single word cut through the noise.

"Quiet."

And just like that, the vultures stopped clamouring. The authority in his voice sent a shiver through her body as her spine stiffened, and she wasn't even there herself. In front of them, Lucifer gazed down with sharp eyes and she was amused to see several seasoned journalists shift uncomfortably beneath his piercing stare. It was like watching a group of scavengers being stared down by a true apex predator.

"Really now. How do you expect me to answer any of your questions if you behave like a rabid horde of baboons? Let's show the most basic amount of decorum, shall we? The first question goes to the only one who showed a proper measure of respect and decency. You, with the slightly frizzy red hair and the fashionable glasses. I love the look by the way."

He squinted his eyes slightly and continued.

"Abby Brighton from the Temple City High School Club of Journalism. Please ask your question."

Chloe snorted at the absolute affront on the faces of the journalists from major news outlets when they realised that a high school girl, who was probably just there to gather some material for when the school started up again, trumped them all. Said girl looked like a deer caught in headlights for a moment but she visibly composed herself and cleared her throat. 'She caught herself quickly. Impressive. Especially for someone so young. She looks only 15, maybe 16.' She acknowledged with a slight nod as she continued to listen.

"I think the one question that burns on all our tongues is simply: Why? What motivated you to suddenly start such a massive project out of nothing?"

He looked at her for a moment before smiling lightly. For Chloe, it was clear that he was thinking of his daughter. It was the same smile he showed on the playground where they met the first time. Abby Brighton, who had no idea what to expect, was stunned for a moment before she blushed and averted her gaze. 'Aww, that's going to be a puppy crush for sure.' She cooed in her mind. It was adorable to watch.

"Good question."

His soft voice carried a hint of approval before he turned to address the entire crowd. He began narrating with a cocky smirk and glinting eyes. She had already seen his performance from up close but once again, she admired how he could just change up his demeanour as if he was throwing on a different suit.

"One thing you need to know about me is that if you'd asked me such a thing just under two months ago, the answer would have been entirely different. More than that, I would have never even thought of starting such a project at all. I was only searching for pleasure. A playboy through and through, and a very successful one, I might add."

His salacious wink made several of those who were present adjust their collars from the sudden heat they experienced. And it wasn't only the female population who seemed affected. For some reason, this irked her. She'd have to do some soul-searching later. 'Or I can just not think about it.'

"What I wanted back then was enjoying my life after leaving Hell behind and maybe spread some fun amongst the folks of Los Angeles. Hence my plans to add to LA's nightlife with Lux. A night club that would have quickly risen in popularity, for it would have been run by the Devil himself. A den of debauchery that left no wishes open. But then something life-changing happened. I became a dad."

He paused for a moment to let his words sink in. His hypnotic voice and the adoration in his eyes when he spoke those last words had them all captivated. This time, when a radiant smile replaced the cheeky smirk on his lips, there was only breathless silence all around.

"A little girl entered my life and upended my entire worldview with her sweetness and her boundless enthusiasm despite the hardships she suffered through. She asked for my help and I gladly gave it. More than that, I made her mine. I adopted her and she me. This little girl changed me and I didn't even realise it at first. She became my Guiding Light. Her easy acceptance of who and what I am makes me want to become a better person. Someone to rely on. A steady rock in the tumultuous waters called life. I want to be an example she wishes to live up to. I want to be the one guiding her steps just as she did for me."

'That can't be right...' She frowned. If that was true, then he had been with Enid for less than two months. She'd seen how close a bond they had. She thought the girl was his biological daughter and just took more after her mother, but she was adopted instead? 'I'll just have to ask for the details personally.' She decided. She wanted to call him anyways but didn't want to appear desperate, so she held back. 'It's been a week now. That's enough time in between, right?' She mused. Trixie was already starting to whine about wanting to meet her new friend again anyways. She humoured her about her praying to the man since he was Lucifer and was an Angel before becoming the Devil. She had nothing against him playing around with his own daughter, but she'd have to talk to him to dial it back a bit in front of Trixie. No need to throw her into delusions at a young age.

"That desire of mine is one of the motivating factors behind this endeavour. But it is not the driving one. You see, I took my daughter to the playgrounds recently. And the lack of safety appalled me. It was charring. There they were. Children. The most innocent a human will ever be. Running around, screaming, laughing, crying, and generally being a nuisance. All of that, unprotected. Oh, there were parents for sure. But they were distracted. Not at all paying attention to their spawn."

He wasn't accusing directly, but there was a hint of reproach hidden in his words. It was clear in the tone of his voice that he didn't approve of the way many parents handled their children while they were at the playgrounds with them or at similar locations.

"All it takes is a single careless moment for their innocence to forever be shattered or worse. It nearly happened to my daughter, and it can just as well happen to any other child. There are uncountable unsavoury elements in society, and some are desperate enough to do something drastic and repugnant. Let's not talk about the worst case scenarios."

His voice had grown silent and dangerous. Instinctively, his audience stayed silent. Not a word was spoken. He had a complete grasp on them.

"I want my daughter to make friends. I want her to experience the joys of childhood to the fullest. She deserves no less. But I refuse to expose her like this. It was quite a dilemma I found myself in. Only the offhand comment of a rather brilliant woman finally cleared up my thoughts. If there is no solution for my problem, then I simply have to become the solution!"

The way his face lit up at those words was once again breathtaking, and she blushed a bit at being mentioned by him. 'If he continues like this, I'll be ruined for all other orators out there. He's just too good a speaker.' She thought with a wry smile as she forced the heat out of her cheeks and focused again with a slightly tilted head.

"Hence this project was born. To ensure my daughter's happiness, I will shy no costs. And since she is an absolute treasure who wants as many people as possible to be happy, I will endeavour to follow her example, starting with the littlest ones. That is how the 'Guiding Light Playgrounds' came to be, in honour of my daughter."

The rest of the conference was far less dramatic and verbose with questions thrown at him and him handling them with the aplomb of an experienced politician. Some answers made people question his sanity at times, but the way he endeared himself with his charm and charisma easily made those things register as eccentric quirks instead of mental health problems. She couldn't help the smile that appeared on her lips. Eccentric, charismatic, dangerous, and from what she'd personally witnessed, an absolute sweetheart. It was really time to call him. After she finally finished cleaning. 'Doing housework on my free day sucks...'

~Trixie Espinoza-Decker~

"Finally!"

She called out with all the relief she could muster when her mom informed her that they'd visit her newest friend. She looked at her with a big grin and her mom smiled back in that special way that she did when Trixie did something she found adorable. As she stormed off towards her room to prepare, she couldn't help but be a bit proud of herself. She liked putting that smile onto her mommy's face, especially since she smiled so rarely now ever since she and dad began fighting really badly. They thought she didn't know just how bad it'd gotten but she heard a lot more than they knew about. So she knew she was the reason for all those rows.

She tried to be better, to complain less and to stop crying when dad once again forgot a promise. She tried to tell her mom it was ok and she even tried smiling at her. But it didn't help. Her mom always knew when she was upset and hiding it only made it worse. Their arguments escalated and Trixie felt even more responsible than before. But now, there was something she could do. She could keep Lucifer in their lives! She liked him already. He talked funny and he was nice. He also saved her friend, even though she wasn't her friend at the time. But that was even better since she probably wouldn't have met her if he didn't save her. So he was the reason she made a new friend! Oh, and he was the Devil. That was cool too, she supposed.

But more importantly, her mommy liked him. She saw her smile a different smile than usual when she talked to him and she caught her with the same smile several times already. She was thinking about him. Just like she had a Trixie Smile, she now had a Lucifer Smile. It was one part surprise, two parts annoyance, and seven parts joy! She knew because she measured it. For some reason she couldn't understand, her mom hesitated to call Lucifer though. She thought that was silly. She called him every evening and sometimes (every day) even during the day, and while he didn't answer with words, he sent back feelings. She couldn't name all of them, but she got a general feel of what they meant. On the first evening she got something like surprise, only stronger, and the same thing she felt when she saw Disney Land the first time. Ever since she prayed to him for the second time, there was one mainstay. A feeling as if he was annoyed but not in a bad way? It was confusing so she labeled it as a grown up emotion.

She sent him updates of how her day went and stories to tell Enid and sometimes, she even sang to him. She ignored the horror that came from the other side when she did that. She also complained about how boring her recent days were. It was why she spent so much time praying. She had been in the care of several babysitters the last week since both, mommy and daddy, were working. She got her a babysitter even though she wasn't a baby anymore! She told her mom that, and that she could easily take care of herself but she wasn't convinced. Trixie was offended by the certainty in her voice when she said that she wouldn't be able to resist eating any and all chocolate cake still left in the fridge and after that all the sweets she'd hidden away. 'I mean it's true, but still...'

But those days were over now! She was determined to spend as much time with Enid as possible. All her problems had one obvious solution. She just needed to convince Lucifer to be her babysitter! And she had only one afternoon to do it. For once, she was thankful that dad broke his promise to take her to the park. It still hurt of course, but it was an old kind of hurt. She was used to it. And It was her fault anyways. When she accidentally let all that slip to Lucifer, she got anger in return. But not at her. It felt like he was angry for her. So she did what mommy said she should do if someone did something for her. She said thank you. And he became embarrassed. She giggled for minutes after that, tears forgotten. He didn't even need words to cheer her up. She turned her attention to the wardrobe and amused herself for a moment by imagining it being a portal to Hell instead of Narnia before opening it. She was only vaguely disappointed not to find a hellish portal in there and instead focused on what she was here for.

"What should I wear? I need to make an impression!"

She imitated her grandma, made a dramatic gesture, and threw herself onto her bed before laughing. She was excited and she did silly things when she was. But she had to concentrate. Grandma didn't just teach her how to make her day more fun by being intentionally 'over the top'. She also told her 'Clothes Maketh the Woman' which sounded funny but meant just that what she was wearing would be seen by others so she had to look good if she wanted to be liked. Mom said it's the inner beauty that counted, and she agreed with that, but she understood grandma too. Matthew from school had snot all over the front of his sweater once, and that was really icky. If she didn't know that he was a nice boy from before, she wouldn't have wanted to talk to him again.

In the end, she decided to change into purple pants and her Starburst shirt. That was the nicest shirt she had and she'd gotten it from her mom when they visited that place that showed stars and planets from up close. That was a really cool afternoon and she'd like to go again sometime. When things were better...

Shaking her head, she looked into the mirror and found a cute and grinning Trixie looking back at her with determination blazing in her eyes. She was on a mission. If she had to have a babysitter, she wanted it to be the one of her choice.

~Enid Morningstar~

It took her new friend's mum a whole week to call her dad! That was, like, forever! Dad said she was probably busy since she was a detective, which was a higher rank than police officer. That meant she had more responsibilities and had less chances to make time whenever she wanted. At least that was the case if she wasn't 'one of those worthless corrupt bugs that are skittering around in all organisations of those pitiful humans'. Those were daddy's words and he immediately assured her that he didn't think she was one of those.

Anyways, she was finally about to meet Trixie again! She was thrilled when he told her that Chloe had called the 'Satan Line' and that she had agreed to meet up for a playdate at their home. Her excitement had mounted when he had come into her room earlier and told her that they'd be here soon.

"We will have to tell your friend that I am not to be contacted via prayer unless it's an emergency. I don't fancy being used as a glorified communication device and therapist. That being said, they just left their home. It seems they will be here within the hour."

There was absolutely no real irritation in his grumbling. Not even annoyance really. If anything, she thought she made out some amusement. And she was glad that was the case. It would be bad if her dad disliked her friend. As it was, she was happy that wasn't the case and allowed herself to giggle at him which he took in good humour, telling her that she shouldn't even think about teaming up with Trixie against him. So yeah, she was excited to meet her again.

While her friend sent small messages and stories through Lucifer by means of prayer every day, which freaked her silly daddy out a bit in the start, and made him grumble that he wasn't a bloody phone, it wasn't the same as seeing her new friend and hugging her and playing with her. So she could be excused for her random joyous outbursts. Dad wanted to have their own playground ready, but told her sadly that it wasn't done yet, so they'd need to play in the penthouse instead. That was fine. It was big enough to play hide and seek and they could play with the Pack. She also got new art supplies from her dad, so they could draw pretty pictures and put them into 'The Museum'. That's what daddy called the room he decorated with everything she made.

She told him he didn't need to go that far, that she'd be happy to see a drawing or two on the fridge. The offended look he gave her when she said that made her giggle for minutes. He told her that everything she made was far too precious to be forgotten. And that he wanted to brag with her achievements. All of them. So he'd arrange her drawings and all the pictures they'd take into an art piece himself and would call it her 'Mosaic of Childhood', and that he'd later include it once more into the 'Tapestry of her Life'.

She really liked that idea a lot, but she already decided to tease him about it. His reactions were just so funny... Her thoughts were interrupted by long awaited words that sent her heart rate through the roof.

"They are here."

She grabbed onto the offered hand of her daddy and together, they waited in front of the back entrance of their home. The cellar was about to be completely reworked into an indoor playground while the ground floor would be transformed into a parent's lodge. They bypassed the construction site by keeping to the backside of the building because it was dangerous to enter the working space of construction workers. It was fine since they had a secret entrance to their penthouse back there. They could pretend to be ninjas or secret agents or something like that. She sometimes did that with Maze.

When she saw them arrive in their car, it took everything out of her to not storm over and jump into the open window from where Trixie was already waving with a big smile on her face. Her dad clearly felt her urges because he tightened his hold on her hand slightly, which helped her keep the smallest measure of calm. When they finally parked, all bets were off though.

Trixie jumped out of the car and Enid was already halfway over the lot. She sped up some more and jumped, only to feel her dad's floaty ability take hold of her. She blinked at the wide-eyed mom of her friend before smiling sheepishly even as Trixie laughed about her silly position in the air.

"Dear daughter of mine. Do remember that the little urchin isn't even close to being as durable as you. If you cannot keep your exuberance under control, I will have to wrap you both in bubble wrap to keep you safe."

While that sounded like an amazing idea that she definitely wanted to try, she did understand that he meant it as chastisement and apologised appropriately.

"I do not need your apology. I need you to do better. For your sake and for the sake of the detective's spawn. You could have hurt your friend and it would have haunted you forever. Your guilty conscience would have made your life quite the miserable one for a long time to come. On the risk of sounding terribly cliché, the one quote that fits quite well here is: 'With great power comes great responsibility.' While I dislike the general connotations of this message because I am a firm advocate of Free Will, it is a fact that you are far stronger than an average child your age. You need to be a bit more mindful. Can you do that for me, my precious Morningstar?"

The seriousness in his voice finally got to her and she looked at him. There was no reproach in his face. Only worry for her and a plea for her to understand. She did understand. He didn't want to make her feel bad. He wanted her to grasp what could have happened if he wasn't there. Her tackle could have hurt her friend. It was a simple truth. In her excitement, she had forgotten that Trixie wasn't a werewolf and that she wasn't as hardy as she was.

"It won't happen again, dad."

She told him in a silent and subdued tone of voice that nonetheless held her resolve. She wouldn't feel guilty for something that hadn't happened. But she would always remember that small stab of dread that flashed through her at the thought of unintentionally hurting her friend. He nodded, satisfied with her response, and let her down.

"Good girl. I'm proud of you. Now, why don't you go and cuddle your friend? She is waiting for it after all."

He gave her an encouraging smile and she smiled back, still a bit down but already feeling better. The pit in her stomach wouldn't disappear for a while, but she wouldn't let it interfere with the fun to be had with her friend. Far more carefully, she approached Trixie, who had lost nothing of her own excitement and curiosity, and hugged her close.

"Sorry for almost hurting you. I was just so glad to meet my first real friend again..."

Trixie returned her hug and giggled.

"Don't worry. I am excited too! What do you want to play? Where will we go? Do you have any plushies? I have like, sooo many! But I couldn't take all of them with me so I only have Miss Alien in the trunk."

Slowly, her excitement was returning, but it would forever be tempered by the knowledge that she needed to be cautious with her strength.

~Lucifer Morningstar~

Watching them toddle off to Enid's room with Cherona in tow to make sure nothing bad would happen, he pondered over the sensation he had felt last time he met Detective Chloe Decker and that had returned now. He thought it might have been his imagination, but now he had confirmation instead. 'Being close to her somehow saps my durability. I wonder why that is...' Had he been any less in tune with his Grace, he might not even have noticed it which would have allowed the effect to run unchecked, but as it was, he felt it quite clearly and had some countermeasures in place.

Thankfully, due to that it wasn't to the point where he'd suddenly be in danger against things like a car crash or bullets or anything like that, but he certainly would feel it if someone shot him with something stronger than a simple 9mm pistol. It was a strange sensation to feel somewhat vulnerable. He was used to near absolute immortality with only a rare few beings or weapons even being capable of hurting him.

He turned his eyes to the thoughtful detective and spread his senses a bit. What he perceived was a hint of Divinity. Not enough to make her any less human, but a clear sign that someone had tampered with her. He was certain she wasn't aware of it. The touch of Divinity would be far more active if she was. It was completely inert however, which led him to the conclusion that she was in no way responsible. That also ruled out her knowing anything about it, so he'd have to search for other sources of information as to why a human who could reduce a Celestial being's durability was running around unchecked. The most common cause for Divinity in a mortal was a Blessing from an angel, but even the most powerful of the Archangels couldn't leave one that directly affected the Soul in the way he saw here. Not to mention that it was a taboo to tinker with souls.

'Wait... Daddy dearest wouldn't put a Miracle on earth, would he?' The thought was somewhat disconcerting. Those things always had a way of biting the Celestials in their collective behind since he wasn't big on disclosure in terms of information. Humanity's claim on Free Will always made those tricky to deal with and God never helped with the clean-up once things went south with one of his little experiments. He very nearly sighed. He lacked information, but he had one source he could ask later on, for now he probably should simply treat her as the mother of his daughter's friend. Nothing more and nothing less.

"Are you sure it's going to be ok?..."

She asked suddenly while biting her lower lip in worry. He needed a moment to understand what she was saying before he frowned at her, somewhat offended on his daughter's behalf.

"I assure you, now that she understands what could have happened, there is absolutely no danger for your spawn. If anything, she'll be far too conscious about it and will endeavour to protect her new friend from any and all dangers. Which is still better than the opposite, I suppose."

She must have caught on to his shifting mood because she immediately turned to him with a bit of panic.

"That's not... Ok, yes, it is. I am a bit worried, but it's not the only reason I... Well, you did a good job on chastising... oh come on..."

She took a deep breath with furrowed brows to calm her mood and before starting over. Her panic was amusing to watch so he decided to forgive her the slight against the Star of his eye this once.

"This is my first full day off in weeks, maybe months, and I want it to be a good one for her. I don't actually recall how long it's been that I had more than a few hours at a time with her. I try to make as much room for her as possible in my schedule but it'll never be enough. My profession is a hectic and chaotic one. It is my calling and I love doing what I do. But sometimes, seeing her eyes light up when I come home and feeling the almost desperate way she clings to me when we hug makes me feel so guilty... I... I have no idea why I am telling you this. I don't usually over-share like this..."

She blinked and he very nearly looked at her with something akin to pity before catching himself. He knew she wouldn't appreciate it. The poor woman wasn't used to trusting others it seemed. While his descent into the infernal realms somewhat corrupted and changed his nature, the magnetic effect he had on people that made him capable of drawing out their deepest and darkest desires always was based on his Grace. And part of being the personification of Light was being a source of comfort and warmth.

Humans often instinctively flocked around him because of that particular trait. And they tended to let things slip in his presence because of the innate trust he inspired, especially now that he didn't shun his Grace as much anymore. It was the reason why she found him so easy to talk to, and why he probably stayed rent-free in her head for the past week. 'Usually, it takes people a while to get used to it, but the hint of Divinity in her already passively increases her resistance in addition to her exceptionally strong will, so she should be fine...' He pondered as he observed her with a hint of concern in his eyes. It was simply part of him and it wasn't as if he could just change his entire being without some serious agony, so he simply did what he always did. He dampened the effect as much as he could and accepted the consequences. Gently, he told her.

"Don't worry my dear detective. I have that effect on people. It's unavoidable, I'm afraid. Your thoughts are completely safe with me however. Nothing you tell me will make it beyond my lips as long as you do not want it to. If you want, I'll even let you tie me up and gag me. Just to ensure my silence of course."

He had softly guided her to sit on the comfortable couch while they were talking and was now looking at her with a saucy grin and wagging eyebrows that made her laugh. She leaned back with a sigh before answering with clearer eyes.

"Thanks for that, I guess. Is it part of your psychic abilities? You are an outcast, aren't you? Is that why you play it up with that 'Fear me, I'm the Devil!' shtick? Why you call yourself Lucifer Morningstar of all things?"

She wasn't the first to ask a question like this, so he wasn't offended. His inborn traits often got confused with outcast abilities. It always drew a chuckle from him how far people could stretch their minds for their denial. Psychics usually had one trait or two closely linked ones. He demonstrated dozens of abilities like conjuring fire, telekinesis, bending light to conjure up illusions, superhuman strength and durability, and all kinds of more generic Celestial abilities in his time on earth. And yet, they always found other ways to explain it all away. That's the reason why he found the quote 'The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist.' so funny. He never had to convince anyone. They did it all themselves.

"That one's Dad-given I'm afraid."

He told her and smiled lightly at her disbelieving snort. While he couldn't outright lie, he was capable of certain acts of dishonesty, as even the purest Light could be used to deceive the eye. But he rather disliked doing so. And most of the time it wasn't even necessary as those who interacted with him deluded themselves splendidly already. Telling nothing but the truth oftentimes had the opposite effect on his credibility as reality often sounded more fantastical than even the most outrageous falsehoods. 'I suppose I can give her a bit more, though.'

"Well, in actuality, those were more along titles before I claimed them as my names. The Lightbringer. The First Radiance. The Morningstar."

He continued before she could say anything in response. A reminiscing smile that was marred by pain spread on his lips as he allowed himself to remember some of the past. The proud smile on his Father's lips when he excitedly told him he had created another star cluster. That he had arranged them in perfect Harmony with his own Creation. The fluttery feeling in his chest when he was told that he did well. Memories from before his parents began to have their disputes of truly biblical proportions. Before his Mother grew colder than ice and his Dad became more of a permanently furious tyrant than a Father. It was why he could somewhat empathise with her spawn, though she could at least claim to have one capable parent left. And his singing voice was far superior.

Banishing those thoughts, he showed his hand instead, and let a hint of his Grace appear above it. Not enough to even faze a strong-willed human being, but it was clearly not of this plane. It was the most he would allow himself to do in front of a nonbeliever. Well, except if they pissed him off somehow. Then they got a glimpse of Hellfire. Her eyes transfixed on the glimmer that was akin to starlight but she was clearly listening still.

"I am the Devil. And though one of my many epithets is 'The Prince of Lies', I am incapable of doing so. I gave you as much proof as I dared to give without risking your sanity. How much you believe of what I claim is entirely your decision and I will never try and force my views on you. Impugning on another's Free Will after rebelling to free myself from such a Fate would be a rather hypocritical thing to do."

He paused for a moment in case she wanted to comment, but she kept up her silence and only looked at him with an unreadable expression. Deciding to give her some space and being productive at the same time, he commented lightly.

"Be that as it may, it is time to prepare a snack for my daughter. You and your spawn are free to indulge with her as soon as I'm done, of course. Oh, and if you want to join our daughters in their no doubt chaotic endeavours, follow that hallway until you reach the stairs. The door to my daughter's room will be open so you should hear them from afar."

He left her to her thoughts as he made his way to the kitchen. Feeling her curious eyes on him, he transitioned his gait into one that emphasized his well formed behind. Hearing her snort in amusement made him smile. From what her spawn had let slip, she didn't have many reasons to laugh recently. Her supposed partner turned out to be a douche and a moron who neglected the most important achievement of his miserable life and did nothing but cause grief for the family he was so undeserving of.

She shouldered all the roles in the urchin's life admirably, and the little spawn understood that fact far better than either of her parents grasped. But even the best people could crumble under enough pressure. 'Well, I can help ease the burden a bit, I suppose. For my daughter's benefit of course.' He mused as he began to work his magic in the kitchen. He had decided to prepare some of his patented pastries formed like Devil emojis. Devil's Delightful Surprise, he called them. His daughter's happiness wasn't the only reason he decided to lend a hand, but it would forever be the most important one.

~Chloe Decker~

She had watched him disappear into the kitchen and followed along a safe distance behind. From the doorway, she observed as things and ingredients began to float while he tied the apron he had put on. When she caught a glimpse of its front, she nearly snorted out another laugh. 'Kiss the Cook. He is devilishly handsome.' if nothing else, his Ego was definitely out of this world. As she left him to work and wandered off in search of her daughter, her mind couldn't help but wander back to that light he had conjured. It felt holy. Sacrosanct. She couldn't explain it but it sang to her of distant planes and things she wasn't ready to perceive. It was almost enough to make her believe in those ludicrous claims he spouted.

'But... Isn't that the opposite of what he claims to be? Isn't the Devil supposed to be that Big Bad Evil? How could a creature of sin ever conjure something so pure?' She pondered far more seriously over the topic than she truly wanted to. What she wanted was to put off his claims as delusions and his abilities as simple outcast stuff, but several things made her stay her judgment. David's statement for example. 'There was Hellfire in his eyes! He is the Devil! I'm sure of it!' He laughed hysterically then. 'I tried to do unspeakable things to the Devil's daughter... Oh man, I'm fucked. Just lock me up already, I don't care anymore. What those guys in prison will do to me can't be any worse than what awaits me after death.'

Usually, she listened to her instincts when she wasn't sure about something. The problem was that this time, her instincts told her that he wasn't lying. At the very least, he believed what he told her. That he was the Devil. He was a good-looking man but wasn't his appearance that made her mentally dispute his claim. She knew that Evil could come in all forms. Had seen it often over her career. Mundane criminals were everyday people you wouldn't waste a second gaze on if they happened to cross your path more often than not. Even worse was the supernatural world. She only had tangential contact with it since specially trained units took most of those cases. But the few times she was involved, she saw things she'd rather forget.

The case that would stay in her mind permanently was a centuries old vampire who had been turned at age six. He used his innocent appearance to lure his victims into deserted alleyways or similar locations and drained them of every single drop of blood. He did this nearly all his long life as a turned vampire and was caught only recently with her precinct in a supporting role. His faux innocent smile that could have fooled anyone was offset by the malicious glint in his eyes. Sadly, his victims often saw those far too late. The way he sat in his cell, self-satisfied with having traumatised several police officers with his gleeful and graphic recounting of every victim he remembered, would haunt her dreams for a long time still.

But Lucifer... He didn't feel like that. His demeanour was honest. He was open most of the time and seemingly carried his feelings on his sleeves. Every expression on his face had meaning and none of it was faked. Played up maybe, yes, but there was always genuine emotion behind it. He didn't feel Evil at all. Not to mention the reverent adoration for his daughter that she could empathise so well with. 'And that Light... It felt so... Ancient. Weary. But surprisingly also hopeful.' She shook her head and shelved all thoughts on this matter. She had more important things than a mere potential existential crisis that threatened to make a believer out of her to attend to. Her slow and thoughtful trek finally carried her to the room that had laughter and excitement floating out of it. A soft smile spread on her lips as she heard her daughter laugh freely for the first time in a week. Nothing could convince her more of having done the right thing than this.

'Maybe he is the Devil. Maybe he isn't. I don't know and I frankly don't think I really care all that much. The supernatural exists, so why shouldn't Divinity? What I do know is that he does a good job with his daughter.' She spied into the room and nearly cooed at what she saw. Both of them were surrounded by unicorns, bears, and penguins of all things. They had concentrated looks on their faces and a drawing in front of them. Every few minutes they exchanged them to work on the other one. From what she heard, Lucifer decided to keep and preserve every single little thing his daughter made so to make sure Trixie's work would be included, they just collaborated on both of their drawings. It was cute and she was proud of her daughter for thinking of this.

"So... It wasn't an apology from Santa?"

Her little monkey picked up a conversation again that she had missed the start of. Enid shook her head and her smile was so incredibly soft that Chloe's heart melted with it.

"No, it was so much better."

She breathed out. The volume of affection in those words was palpable and her daughter stopped drawing because she noticed too. Looking curiously at her friend, she asked.

"Well, what was it then?"

Instead of answering verbally, she jumped to her feet and ran to her bed. She fell to her knees on the soft plushy carpet in front of it and quickly dove under to retrieve a small box that she quickly opened to remove a single item from it. Chloe noticed that each movement, even those that didn't even bring her close to Trixie's vicinity, were restrained. She clearly put in a lot of effort to keep herself under control and Chloe felt guilty for assuming otherwise before. She determined to apologise later on.

"This... It's the Proof of Adoption. It shows that he actually wants me. I'm only half a wolf. It's what my mum told me. She said I'm useless and if I don't wolf out, I'll be useless my whole life. But he said that couldn't be farther from the truth. He told me that I am his treasure. His Guiding Light. The most precious thing in his life, even though he is an Angel and made the stars! And he never lies. He said that I could never be useless even if I tried and that he'd be honoured to be my dad. And then he asked me if I wanted to take his name because I am his Morningstar..."

There were tears of joy in the child's eyes and if nothing else would convince her that he was a good man, this would. Distantly, she registered her race as Lycan in the back of her mind and her severe lack of silver bullets for a certain mother, but it wasn't really important.

"He made the stars?! That's so cool!"

Of course that was what her daughter got out of all of this. She smiled indulgently, as did Enid, though hers still held an edge of excitement which showed that that particular detail was important to her too.

"Yep, he did. Everyone is mean to him because he is the Devil, but they literally wouldn't be alive without him! The sun is a star so he made it. He made the reason they are alive and as thanks, they are rude. Most people don't even know him. They just talk behind his back and point their fingers at him and he just accepts it! When I asked why, he just smiled sadly and said it's just how it's always been. But it's not right. He is my dad and he deserves better."

She had her arms crossed and her lips pulled into an adorably petulant pout. It was interesting to hear her talk about all of this. To hear her point of view.

"You prayed to him lots, didn't you? He told me, but didn't tell me if he answered. Did he? When I prayed, he answered almost immediately. I made a deal with him, you know? It's his thing to make deals. I told him I'd be his friend and he'd be mine because I was lonely. My mum locked me into my room and didn't let anyone talk to me. He agreed and even stopped me from sacrificing my plushies to him. The next day in the morning, he broke down my locked door and took me with him. He told me I get to decide. He wouldn't have taken me if I didn't tell him to. I was still a bit scared. Not because of him, but because I'd leave behind everything I knew. But Cherona helped me lots and let me cuddle her so everything went well. And now I know, it's the best decision of my life. Always will be."

The massive dog raised her head at being called out by name, which made Chloe notice her for the first time since she arrived. The Hound threw her a look that was far too intelligent for an animal and huffed in what clearly sounded like all too human amusement before she laid her head back to her paws and continued observing the kids. Trixie answered the question.

"He didn't answer with words, but he sent emotions. I don't think he likes my singing, though. He always sends back horror when I do that."

She sounded a bit confused, but Chloe winced tonelessly. She loved her daughter with all her heart but she had never met another person, child or not, who was quite as tone-deaf as she was when it came to what she called singing. If he had to endure that... She blinked. 'When did I begin to accept that praying to the guy actually works?' She questioned herself before shrugging. Even if she didn't believe he was the Devil, there were some psychics who were able to receive mental messages meant for them over long distances. That was kinda like receiving a prayer. Not too far-fetched. Enid laughed at Trixie's words and explained after receiving a questioning look from her.

"He told me you sound worse than the ruckus the cat made after he accidentally stepped on one last month. The kitty was ok but she was really loud and it hurt my ears. No offense but if you sound like that, I don't think I'll like your singing either. But that's alright I think. I don't sing so well too, but dad let me try some of his instruments and he told me I have the hands and the ear for the violin! He offered to teach me if I wanted to and I think I'll say yes. Maybe we can talk him into teaching you too?"

Her little monkey was excited and quickly nodded before she asked a question that made Chloe smile a bemused smile. It seemed she wasn't here without an ulterior motive.

"You think he would?! If he ends up being my babysitter, we'll always be together, like sisters! And if we make music together, we'll be like a band! It will be great! Say, if we get them together, wouldn't we be real sisters? Let's do it like this..."

She laughed lightly as she left them to plot by themselves. Her nerves were completely pacified and she now understood better what kind of person both, father and daughter were. She felt a bit guilty that she'd essentially spied on those two, but it wasn't intentional. She just didn't want to interrupt their playtime. As she wandered back where she came from, she was intercepted by another woman. She was leaning against the wall and looking at her with a challenging smirk.

"So... You are the Detective. I'm a bit disappointed to be honest. I expected more."

Her first impulse was to dress her down for her rudeness when she didn't even know her, but a feeling in her gut stayed her hand. Her brows furrowed slightly and she chose a more diplomatic approach.

"Well, you seem to know me which means that you have me at a loss. I have never even heard of you."

Her smirk widened slightly as she pushed away from the wall. Her slow and confident gait as she approached her showed off streamlined movements akin to those she'd seen in Lucifer when he stalked up to the pedophile. It was clear that this woman was dangerous. And that Lucifer probably trained her or sparred with her regularly. Her answer still made her smile slightly. It was clear now what she was trying to do. She was protective.

"I am the Devil's right hand. I am the youngest among the ranks of the Arch Demons. I am Mazikeen, the Mistress of Hounds. Do you believe?"

Her facial expression shifted to slight surprise when Chloe made a 'so-so' gesture with her hand while wearing a rueful smile. She decided to be as honest as she could allow herself to be.

"I don't want to, to be honest. All that religious stuff being real would complicate life so much. But this is only the second time I've been in contact with your... Lord? Master? Whatever he is to you. And he's already proving to be far more than he seemed at first. It doesn't really matter if he is just an especially strong outcast or the Devil himself. I do not judge others on their race but on merit. And what I've seen from him tells me he is an exceptional father and a good man."

She did her best not to fidget under the judging gaze of the woman in front of her. She had an intensity to her that made it easy to believe that she was a demon. But she'd stand by her words. She made some mistakes in her early career. Judging people on their families or race instead of the individual and was proven wrong. She promised herself never to make the same mistake again and to keep her view as impartial as possible. If one stripped away all the superfluous stuff like race, gender, appearance, and the like, one got a real look at the person beneath all those layers. And she endeavoured to give every person she met that chance. Finally, the presumed demon let up and showed something approaching a real smile, though all it came out to be was a somewhat friendly smirk.

"Fine, I guess his curiosity was justified after all. Come along and let me tell you who the Lord of Hell really is."

Curiosity and a clear case of lacking self preservation made her follow along with the demon's wishes. She was eager to know what someone who was by his side for longer than she'd been alive had to say about him.

~Lucifer~

Whatever he expected when he returned with the first batch of pastries, it certainly wasn't that. Cozily ensconced on the couch, there were both, Chloe and Maze. They sat close to each other with Maze wearing her smug smirk#3™ as she recounted a story he'd rather want to stay hidden.

"No. Really? He wanted you to cut off his wings?"

Maze nodded emphatically.

"Yep. He was all dramatic too. 'Don't worry about me! What is a little pain in comparison to freeing myself from the fetters my Father put on me! Just... Hurry up! The left one is starting to cramp.' I won't lie, that nearly cracked me up. It was such a challenge to stay serious enough to stare him down from that particular idiotic plan of his."

They were gossiping. 'What in the nine hells happened?...' He thought with a hint of helplessness colouring his mental voice. Instead of pondering too long over it, he cleared his throat and placed the tablets in his hands on the table rather forcefully. The cups filled with chocolatey goodness floated along and placed themselves more carefully. No need to risk making a mess.

"I turn my back to you one time, and you stab it right away. Is that how it's going to be, Maze? I thought your loyalty extended to keeping my secrets but it seems I was mistaken..."

She scoffed and glared at him with a bit of heat.

"This was never specified a secret and you know it. And if the shame keeps you away from idiotic plans and self mutilation per proxy, I'll shout that stuff out into the world any day. Seriously, if you ask me to hurt you one more time, I will get the nine tailed one and whip you, thorns and all."

He gave her a slightly apologetic smile even as he answered her comment in the most appropriate way possible.

"Don't threaten me with a good time, Maze. Otherwise, I'll have to return the favour..."

He let the statement stand for some moments that were enough for the Detective to develop a healthy flush before he laughed with maze joining him with a throaty chuckle before the three of them fell into a comfortable silence. His gaze was drawn to their new addition somewhat involuntarily. He hadn't expected her to fit in if he was entirely honest. She seemed a bit straight laced with unexplored depths at first, but it seemed she was already aware of some of her more rebellious traits.

"Do you like what you see? Maybe you want to take a picture? I can pose for it if you want. I was told I have a talent for it."

She winked with a smirk and he blinked when her words registered and smiled ruefully even as Maze nearly lost it while taking a sip of her run-laced hot chocolate.

"Damn, Decker. Where did that come from?"

She asked with genuine curiosity in her voice. Lucifer answered instead.

"Those were the words I greeted her with the first time we met. And for the record, I'd very much like that, Detective. Maybe you can pose with handcuffs, your gun belt, and your police cap? Other pieces of clothing are entirely optional of course."

He winked back at her and she blushed lightly again. She was clearly unused to blatant flirtations. Just what was her former partner doing? He had such a splendid specimen by his side and didn't shower her with compliments and innuendoes at every turn? Truly a moron. Absentmindedly, he floated the next batch into the room and put the last one into the oven. Telekinesis was useful like that.

"I don't think I have enough clothing to protect me from your advances. That said, shouldn't we get the children?"

Chloe shot back and asked with some confusion in her voice. Lucifer shook his head with a fond smile.

"No need. I let one plate linger in the hallway for a moment. My dearest Morningstar has a prodigious sense of smell, especially when it comes to pastries and other confectionaries."

As if they were summoned, the two girls tumbled into the room with bright smiles on their faces.

"You were right! I'll never doubt you again, Enid! I'll follow you to the end of the world for sweets!"

He could believe it too. The adoration she had in her eyes when she looked at Enid wasn't just born from her addiction to sugar either. It was clear that the little urchin was genuinely fond of his precious daughter. 'And she isn't the worst friend she could make.' He reluctantly gave her his seal of approval, if barely.

"Can I try some, mom? Please?"

Her eyes enlarged and they quickly developed a moist sheen. His snort went largely unnoticed. She was good, he had to admit. Her version of the Puppy Dog Eyes was certainly endearing. But he was trained by the true mistress of the technique. Just as he finished that thought, his own daughter turned her eyes on him and he flinched slightly.

"Put those away my dear. Who do you think I baked those for?"

The grin that split her face was an exceptionally bright one and he was certain the presence of a friend added to the experience for her. 'Well, if it makes her this happy, I guess I can accept that urchin into my home.' He thought to himself as he watched Beatrice bite into one of the surprises. She blinked as the taste spread on her tongue.

"That tastes like pizza!"

She exclaimed loudly with surprise in her voice as she looked down at the pastry in her hand, and he smirked.

"Indeed. Every single one of those pastries has a different filling. You will not find any that taste completely alike. I do hope you enjoy them. It is a staple in this household."

She nodded enthusiastically and took another hearty bite out of her's.

"It tastes way better than the pizza we order sometimes."

She commented as she chewed with glee. No doubt she'd expected something sweet, but savoury seemed to appeal to her too. His homemade tomato sauce added just enough sweetness to make the ingredients bond well with his self-made dough. He spent much of his time and energy on perfecting the use of his supernatural abilities in the kitchen, and it showed. The Detective, curious about his claims, but into one herself and hummed pleasantly.

"Caramel cream. Almost like pudding but not quite. It's good."

She said even as she held it out to her daughter so that she could take a bite before she could even ask.

"Thanks mommy!"

She exclaimed, showing off her manners before she bit into that one too. With a slight wave of his hand, he pushed the mugs filled with hot chocolate closer to all those who hadn't yet tasted it. It was best when it was still warm, and he wanted them to enjoy his creations when they were at their best. Soon, they were all seated around the low table in their living room. The general mood was relaxed and he felt himself sink a tad deeper into his favourite seat too. The children were chattering away at them and he listened with one ear while he looked around appreciatively.

He didn't know how the Detective would fit into his life, but it didn't really matter yet. She already had Maze's approval so she was going to be a mainstay. He didn't have much warning before his oaf of a brother suddenly flashed into the room, drawing all eyes onto himself. With a confident smile and his dark grey wings on full display, his deep voice reverberated through the room.

"I come bearing gifts for... My niece?"

The uncertainty and confusion in his voice made Lucifer want to do something as unsophisticated as slamming his palm to his face.

"Oh come on... I wanted to try the denial route some more."

The Detective pouted at his brother as if he had made a grievous mistake. Which he kind of did. He wasn't sure the two humans in this group would be capable of enduring a direct glance at Divinity without acclimatising a bit first.

"That's so cool... Do you have wings too, Lucifer? Can you show me? Can you take me flying? You'll be the best babysitter ever!"

He needn't have worried about that one, it seemed. And the other one was pouting while her daughter had stars in her eyes and ignored his winged brother for his own person, which did wonders for his Ego if he was entirely honest. 'Hold up, babysitter?' He turned his alarmed gaze at his daughter and her friend. Which was a grave mistake as it turned out, since both of them had their weapons of mass affection on full display. Inwardly, he groaned. 'I am the Lord of Hell. I subjugated an entire dimension and claimed it for myself even after I suffered grievous wounds from a battle I had no way to win. I united the races of Hell under one banner and implemented something akin to an actual government instead of having demonic Warlords roam the plane. And yet, here I am. Defeated by the Light of my life and her best friend... What has become of my life...' He didn't miss the way the Detective avoided eye-contact with him while she took a sip of her hot chocolate. 'So she knew...' He shook his head lightly before glaring at the brute he called brother. The man still hadn't put away his wings.

"Uhm, I can explain?..."

He half stated, half asked and this time, Lucifer couldn't stop his palm from making contact with his face. His daughter's giggling helped him keep his temper in check, but it was a close thing.

"Why am I the responsible one here?... Will you put those pigeon wings away, you big oaf?! How long do you want to display Divinity in front of two relatively normal mortals?"

He bemoaned his fate in complete seriousness and chastised his brother in the same breath, which caused some laughter and even drew a smirk around a pastry filled with vanilla custard from Maze. 'This is my life now...' He thought to himself helplessly, but the way his soul sang with joy couldn't possibly be suppressed.

Chapter Text

~Enid Morningstar~

Nervously, she clutched her daddy's hand and he lightly squeezed back to reassure her. It worked somewhat and she managed to center herself a bit. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to calm her racing heart. This was a big day. A day she anticipated with both, glee and apprehension. The glittery pink schoolbag on her back gleamed in the early sunlight gifted to them by the man besides her. Shyly, she looked up at him and lightly tugged at his hand. His curious glance fell upon her and she asked.

"What... What if they don't like me?"

Without hesitation, he knelt before her and softly embraced her. She pulled herself close, drawing comfort from his solid and warm presence. The heat besides her thoughts pulsed softly and helped stave off the uncertainty and fear even further. Slowly he pulled back without letting go completely. He looked into her eyes gently and his lips were quirked into a soft smile.

"My dearest treasure. If anyone fails to adore you, they are either blind or truly evil. You bring joy into every life you touch. I am an ancient, corrupted creature who spent aeons raging against the injustice that fell upon me, all the while fulfilling a duty that had been forced upon my very existence. I calmed down and managed to regain a measure of myself thanks to the precious few that are close to my Hellfire Heart. But the one who continues to lead me back to the Light that once was such an intrinsic part of me is you."

His earnest eyes showed a hint of the mentioned Divine Light, gently burning away her insecurities. The way he looked at her soothed any and all emotional burdens away. How could she have space for negative emotions in her small body when she was filled by the affection they gave her? She let the good feelings swell and she smiled at him. No longer was she fearing their reception. She remembered that she already had the most important people in her life. She had a dad who would always ease any hurt she went through. She had an amazing aunty who was teaching her all kinds of tricks to stay safe. She had a best friend who prayed to her dad and unknowingly sang him into despair. And she had a woman who was warm and fierce and strong in ways she hadn't thought possible. Chloe Decker didn't have a defined role in her life yet. She struggled to place her, but slowly, she was asserting herself as one of her most important people. As someone to look up to.

With all that in mind, meeting her new classmates wasn't all that daunting anymore. Every new friend would be a blessing, but she had enough people around her to make rejection bearable. Even though he already fulfilled his goal of cheering her up, her dad still had more to say.

"You managed to reignite a part of me that I thought dead. Lost to the corruptive nature of my new home. Your pure love for my foolish self saved me from the chasm that I fell into because of my self-destructive tendencies. You gave me the reason to find my own strength again. If anyone could dislike a being that managed to save a fallen Angel from himself, then it's entirely their own loss. Do not let the opinions of such moronic creatures influence you. They are simply beneath the Princess of Hell."

The way he turned up his nose in distaste at such a thought made her giggle and press her face into his strong chest as she hugged herself close to him once again. She then pulled back to smile at him sweetly and simply said.

"Thanks, dad. You're the best."

Because nothing more had to be said. He understood her better than her former family ever did. He was the best dad she could have ever wished for and every single day, she thanked the stars for leading their creator into her life. She giggled as he preened at her words.

"Of course I am. And never you forget it. Now go. Toddle along and charm those ignorant creatures. None of them will know just what kind of multicoloured menace has them blinded until it is too late to resist."

She looked down on herself and found herself dressed in a pink shirt with bright green sleeves, sky-blue pants, and purple shoes. There were orange highlights in her blonde hair that she'd asked if she could get when they visited the mall with Trixie and Chloe. She shrugged. In her opinion, she had nearly the perfect amount of colour on her person. Maybe one or two more, then she'd be happy with it. She just had to find the right accessories.

"Kay! Bye dad. Love you!"

She left him stunned in place after she jumped and placed a quick kiss on his cheek before hurrying into the building with a massive smile on her lips and a faint blush on her cheeks. She had thought it several times already, but this was the first time she said it out loud. Somehow, he seemed to think he wasn't worthy of her love. He was silly like that, sometimes. As if words like 'corrupted' or 'tainted' had any meaning for her. He was her dad and he was the best. Hellfire or Grace, Wings out or not. She didn't really care. And now that she told him for the first time, he had to reboot. It was ok though. She just had to be patient. The more often she told him, the more he'd be used to it. With a new bounce in her steps, she rushed through the corridors, using her heightened reflexes and the training Maze put her through to good use.

She knew she shouldn't run in school, but she wanted to burn off some energy before she'd be confined to a single room for several hours. Soon, she reached her designated classroom and entered with confident steps and a bright smile on her lips. She was Enid Morningstar. Lucifer Morningstar's daughter and the Heiress of Hell. Even if she'd never visited the place. Did she have duties? Would she need to meet the important demons down there? Would they try to hurt her? She hoped they didn't, not because she feared them but because they'd probably not survive the attempt. And she didn't want to be responsible for the death of others.

She shook her head lightly to push away those sudden questions and looked around. What she found was a classroom painted in a very light red colour with pictures of different children labelled with names attached to one of the walls. Dalton was there for example, brightly grinning with the words 'Fastest Boy' beneath his picture. On his left side there was Amy who was the fastest girl. Several other records were listed but one took up all of her attention. The one for the longest handstand. Not because of the record itself, though two minutes and some was certainly impressive for children below ten years of age.

No, it was the picture of who held it. 'Beatrice Espinoza-Decker'. Her eyes widened in surprise and she had just enough presence of mind to not cry out in joy. There wouldn't have been many who heard it since there were only some early birds who arrived even earlier than her. Why did no one tell her? Did they want it to be a surprise? 'Well, it worked!' She needlessly commented to herself as she was bursting with excitement. A familiar scent reached her nose and she turned around quickly and left the classroom moments after she entered, causing some confusion in the few who noticed her. Just as she turned, she saw Trixie come around the corner with her gaze down.

"Trixie!"

Hear head shot up in surprise and Enid saw her eyes light up in joy as a big smile split her face in two.

"Enid?!"

She called back even as she started running towards her. They met in the middle and hugged each other close until Trixie pulled back to ask.

"What are you doing here?! Wait. Are you going to school here now? How?! Why didn't you tell me?"

Enid laughed long and hard while being kept upright by the giggling Trixie. When she finally had herself under control again, she hugged her friend again, this time more gently, and answered her questions.

"They pranked us. Dad didn't tell me and your mum didn't tell you, so we would only find out when we met here. I found your picture in class. That's why I knew you'd be here and instantly recognised your scent."

Trixie made an 'Oh' sound and stayed silent for a moment before shrugging and commenting as they reluctantly let go of each other.

"That's the best prank I've experienced until now. Even better than the one where my cousin threw a water balloon filled with slime at my dad. He chased Diego the whole day and it took a really long shower to get the slime out of his hair."

Enid didn't know her dad since he was never around when she visited her. She also knew he was a bit of a sore spot for the usually cheerful girl so she didn't say anything and just gently smiled while holding out her hand in case she wanted some reassurance. Trixie took it with the slightest hint of hesitation and smiled back gratefully. Enid still saw some hurt in her eyes but it wasn't as bad as it could have been. That didn't change the fact that she wanted to kick Trixie's dad in the shin. She knew not every dad could be as amazing as hers, but not making their daughter miserable wasn't the highest of hurdles to clear and that guy failed.

She hesitated slightly in her mind before deciding to be generous. She'd share her dad with Trixie. Lucifer had a very big heart, no matter how often he called it black and shriveled up or infernal or any other negative adjective. He'd have space there for both of them. Besides, she only knew how it was to have brothers. A sister would be a new experience and Trixie was already her best friend. Being sisters wouldn't be much of a stretch. She felt her smile grow and pulled Trixie into a hug that she confusedly but enthusiastically returned. She couldn't wait!

~Lucifer~

He overlooked the last few workers leave with satisfaction in his eyes. Physically strong outcasts were fantastic hires for construction work and Ogres were his favourite choice among those. They were willful workers who were generally very capable but liked to do things at their own pace. One had to establish dominance over them to make them take things seriously. And the only thing they truly respected was strength.

He threw their Clan Chief Marumaru through five buildings when he visited them to confirm the completion of a Deal done centuries in the past. The leader of their clan had the gall to call him weak and unworthy of compensation, so he showed him what happened to oath breakers. Ever since, he had their respect and admiration. As such, they worked with utmost efficiency. In a short two weeks, they completely remodeled three large buildings. Breaking down walls and rebuilding them to offer a better and safer layout for children and to open up space for his plans. A total rewiring of all buildings to make sure everything was safe the little spawns. The only things left to do were painting, furnishing, and paneling as well as padding the floors. Things were progressing well, and while there was still quite a lot to do, he didn't need to be present for what was yet to come. Instead, he had time for a special visit that he was putting off ever since he arrived on earth. And recently, it was developing into more pressing of a matter. Because even without consuming copious amounts of high quality alcohol, one question did always end up in his mind. 'Did I do the right thing?'

He frowned in apprehension. There was a sensation bubbling in his gut that felt suspiciously like guilt. 'Thinking back, I could have been far more accommodating. I burned the one letter she sent without even reading it. I was furious still and hadn't been the Lord of Hell for long. My temper and the inherited rage played well together and made me unbearable. She must have placed an imprint telling her what he did because she never tried again. But this is not acceptable. I certainly want her in Enid's life. So I have to take the first step...' The person he was thinking about was his earthbound sister. She wasn't here because she was punished or anything like it. It was just that her 'job' included travelling to all three realms of Christianity. Heaven's Silver City, Earth, and The Infernal Realm. Azrael was responsible for helping Souls traverse to their final destination. She was the Angel of Death, and Earth was the most convenient place to stay for her since most Souls originated from here.

She was also the sister closest to his heart even now. Before his Fall, they were nearly inseparable. He protected her from the cold and callous words that many of their siblings had to offer to her for her association with a concept that was considered dark by them. They didn't understand that Death was never dark and evil. It simply was. It could be peaceful or violent. Death could rip families apart or it could bring people together to mourn their loss. It was what waited at the end for everyone. It's existence was one of the few concepts that preceded their Father and even though none of them inherently fell under its thrall, it still had a slight grasp on them. It was possible for Celestial beings to die in the truest sense of the word. It was just exceedingly challenging to achieve.

Her silence when he called for Rebellion was one of the most painful memories he called his own, but only recently, he began considering the reasons for it without the lens of righteous fury that obscured his gaze back then. Well, there was some selfishness involved too, he would admit. But he certainly didn't rebel just for himself. One realisation struck him hard, though. Though she was exceedingly powerful, She was also so so young. One of the few who rivalled the Archangels in power at birth simply because of her intrinsic bond with a primordial concept, but she had no real way to use it without risking permanent death, and she was far too inexperienced to even use it effectively.

She must have been terrified of the mere possibility to snuff out the Life's Flame of her siblings. She also was one of the most peaceful people he'd ever met and she tried to avoid any kind of conflict even at the cost of her own wellbeing. Well, outside of her precious pranks of course. And he callously disregarded her disposition. He forced her to choose. Ignored the painful clenching of his heart as it burned in rightful Anger at the Tyranny they all experienced. He was speechless that he was the only one to realise the suppression and subjugation they were subjected to, and by their own Father no less. He wanted them to realise. To understand. And thus, he asked a question. And things escalated from there. He still remembered the tears running down her cheeks when she steadfastly rebuffed all advances from both sides and chose neutrality instead. If he looked back now, the wrongfully perceived treacherous cleave of betrayal that had struck his heart heavier than his Father's spear was left a mere shadow of the original festering wound. Instead, he felt admiration and pride for her. She remained faithful to her principles and showed a strength of character that he didn't dare to claim. Neither back then, nor now.

He thought of it as a stab in his back for a long time when in reality, it was anything but. What he had done however... Yes, he fucked up. He could admit to himself that much. So he had to make it up to her. Starting with a personal visit. Oh, he knew that the guilt wasn't solely found at his feet. Azrael could have explained herself better. She could have tried to make him understand and she simply didn't. One letter, the content of which he didn't know, wasn't enough. She could have visited after his banishment, but she left him alone to roast in Hell. Quite literally at the start, before he... acclimatised. He thought it was abandonment and in a way it certainly was. But the one who hurt their Bond first was him. He was the older Brother. He should have protected her instead of rallying her to do battle in his name. It was a callous disregard of her peaceful nature and he felt more than just a hint of shame when he thought back to it.

As such, it was his responsibility to take the first step. To reach out and try to mend those rifts between them. Because he genuinely wanted her in Enid's life. And his own, if he was entirely honest. He missed those times when they pranked Amenadiel and many . He still remembered that one time he convinced her to cause some of his feathers to fall off by causing their 'death'. The way his big lug of a Brother freaked out that day was the stuff of Legends. He also missed the times she'd sit in his lap as he combed through her hair and listened to her talk. She often had much to tell and little to say, but it was fine. Her voice was soothing to his fraying edges and he cherished those moments more than he registered back then. He sighed with slight regret and surging determination.

He had reconnected completely with Amenadiel. Where before, they had a vaguely friendly and mainly antagonistic relationship, it felt more like a brotherly one by now. They were closer than ever, even though he wouldn't admit it before him even under the threat of thousand deaths. And in Silver City, Azrael was closest to him. She was his little darling and he was her protector. It was time to reignite another of his bonds. During his ruminations, he had returned to his Penthouse. Now he stood there, rejecting the encroaching indecisiveness and firming his will.

Putting it off wouldn't make it easier, so he manifested his brilliant Wings and concentrated. The nostalgic feel of Death's gentle touch was more welcome than ever when he located her, though it felt far more cold than he remembered. With a single flex of his considerable power, he approached her while perfectly masking his signature. As he Popped out of the dimensional stream he chose to traverse towards her, he looked around shortly while staying concealed. He wasn't Amenadiel who would teleport into a room with his Wings out and his Divinity blazing in front of mortals. It was the Angel's equivalent of running into a room with his dick out, for Father's sake!

After taking a deep breath to cool his irritation with his clueless lug of a brother, he took in his sister for the first time since olden days. She was sitting on an olive couch that looked vaguely threadbare. There wasn't much else in the room and it had a bit of a cold feel to it. Bare and impersonal. Not at all fitting with the shy but expressive little sister he was used to. Her eyes were far more empty than last time he saw her to and the way she clutched at her own arms sent alarm bells ringing through his head. She looked like a haunting shadow of her past self.

In the time he observed her, she sent whisps of herself through all three dimensions to accommodate the dead. She learned how to better use her grasp on those concepts she was so intrinsically linked to it seemed. A sigh left her mouth and she pulled her knees up to her chest. She clearly wasn't fine. His eyebrows creased with worry as she seemed to sink into herself and he decided it was enough. No one but them was around, so he didn't bother hiding away his Wings when he lifted the obscuring veil from his person. Strangely, she barely reacted to his sudden appearance, only flicking her eyes to him before ignoring him with another sigh.

"Will you not greet me, Azrael?"

He asked her as confusion and worry warred within him. Her failure to react was puzzling to say the least. And when she finally did answer, his confusion did not clear up in the least. It wasn't necessarily her words, but more so the emotions going with them. The annoyance that flashed through her eyes when she turned them to him again.

"Go away."

Her flat voice echoed through the room and he was taken aback. What happened to his polite sister who'd talk off his ear every time he visited? Why was she so... Cold? So emotionless towards him? He knew they'd disconnected. It was both their fault but he was taking steps to reconnect. Was it too late for such measures? His heart clenched in ways he hadn't thought possible.

"Excuse me?"

He nearly whispered, trying to mask his hurt. Her reaction didn't take away from his determination to make things right, but hearing her address him like this was a bit of a shock. More than a bit, admittedly. She wasn't done astonishing him though.

"You're excused. Honestly, stop it with that pity party. You're a figment of my own imagination. You don't deserve any pity. You are a part of me after all even if you took the face of my brother again. Are you Lucy or Mikey this time? No, don't tell me. Just go away. Disappear into the depths of my psyche and leave me alone. You're just a horrible caricature of the real thing. Not to mention that today is Ella's day. Stop being impolite and cutting in on other delusions."

He registered her words and slowly grasped what was happening. The worry in him intensified several times over, but most of all, indignation surged like The Flood through his entire body. Oh, this would not stand. His plumes puffed up with his mood, but he didn't care. There were some things he just couldn't tolerate.

"Now you listen here, missy. First of all, you couldn't even conjure me up in your mind if you tried. I am unique and as close to perfection as anyone will ever be. Second, if you compare me one more time with my less handsome and far more pompous twin, I will show you that you are not too old to be spanked. Seriously, the audacity!"

He shifted his posture a bit and crossed his arms. Just who did she think she was? Except for their appearance, Michael and him had nothing in common. He was a pompous arse who kissed Daddy's behind when he should have been sheltering the younger ones from their influence. He shook his head to clear it. He had more important things to do than to fall into that particular rabbit hole. So instead of giving in to his thoughts, he addressed Azrael again.

"And third, I do not know who this Ella is, but when I arrive, she will take a bloody step back and let me talk to my dearest sister. Now, stand up and greet me. I am a busy man and I do not have the whole day to humour your delusional behind."

A spark of curiosity flashed through her eyes when she looked at him this time and a slight smile tugged on her lips. It was the most intense emotion she'd displayed since he arrived and it was barely there. 'Just what happened to her?...' He questioned himself as he waited for her answer.

"Oh, this is the closest I've come to recreate your personality as of yet I think. Interesting. I wonder what made my delusion more real? Did I finally have that psychotic break that seemed so close a couple of centuries ago? Nevermind, I think I would have felt those last threads snapping. Anyways. You made me smile, so thanks. Now shoo, go away."

His brows furrowed and he felt himself lose his patience. She was still convinced he wasn't real? Well, that wouldn't do. It wouldn't do at all. With his wings flaring behind him, his Grace shone through his eyes as he stalked up to her with predatory movements and a scowl firmly in place. She looked over uncertainly. This behaviour was probably not what he displayed in her mind's version of himself. 'Good. It'll show her not to try and recreate me of all beings. I am inimitable and unmistakable. And she attempted to do both. She even mistook me for Michael. She truly must be delusional for that to happen.' He loomed over her faintly scared form and channeled his Divinity with a hint of Hell's Flames for an attack that would forever burn itself into her mind. He flicked her forehead. The couch upended from the force and she landed in an undignified heap on the floor behind it.

"Owie! Wait, what?"

She blinked with tears in her eyes as the searing pain registered, but that wasn't important after a moment. She shot to her feet and looked at him incredulously. Her hand was trembling as raised it to point at him. With a voice that would have been unheard by anyone without supernatural senses, she whispered.

"Lucifer...?"

He stared her down before sniffing and turning his head away.

"Obviously. Now that you regained some of your rotten mind, I'd rather hear your explanation for the unforgivable sin you committed. Why, I ought to put you in a time-out for that. Trying to copy me in your mind? I am unique and it will stay that way, thank you very much. And mistaking me for Michael... It's as if you want to be punished. You may be my favourite sister, but not even to you will I offer such amnesty for that slight."

He watched her from the corner of his eyes and quickly realised that his speech was lost to her for the simple reason that she was rather close to having a panic attack. She was trembling all over and her eyes lost the rest of their light as she sank into herself. With a single step, he closed in to her and gently pulled her into his arms while using his telekinesis to right the couch. It wasn't a comfortable one by any means, but it would still be better than sitting on the ground. He maneuvered them onto the travesty that only distantly resembled an upholstered piece of furniture and held her close as she shook in his arms. Suppressing a wince when her fingers dug into his biceps, he acknowledged that those would smart quite badly for some time. Wounds inflicted by Azrael had a habit of lingering far longer than they should. Another reason she abhorred fighting since she disliked causing pain.

As he held her close, she pressed her face into his chest and he felt the tears soaking his dress shirt. He whispered gentle reassurances into her ear before humming a tune that he sang to her eons ago. He couldn't risk singing It since Enochian was a Language of Creation, but even the melody had a calming effect. It spoke of peaceful meadows and gentle mountain streams. Of clouds passing by under the light of his very own stars. Of creation and death and its part in the circle of rebirth. Silently in the back of his mind, he mourned the sacrifice of his fourth Armani in the recent months. It was a worthy one to soothe his sister's heartbreak, but that didn't mean that it wasn't a valued piece of his wardrobe. Slowly, she calmed down, but she didn't flee his arms, not that he wanted her to. Idly, he noticed that even during her breakdown, she didn't stop sending whisps to take care of the dead. Truly, she was the most dutiful of his sisters. She pulled back slightly with wonder in her eyes.

"You... You are real. You are not a delusion. Not a sick fantasy image I've conjured up to torment myself. To condemn myself for abandoning you... Not a figment of my guilty conscious. You... I'm sorry... I... I should have stood with you, but I was so scared. I... I wanted to visit, but I put it off and convinced myself that you wouldn't want to see your traitorous sister. That you'd throw me out anyways. So I..."

Sobs interrupted her apology and he gently continued to hold her wordlessly as he softly stroked her back in soothing circles. 'She made herself sick with guilt and self-loathing...' He realised, and it caused a massive spike of both those feelings in him. He was supposed to protect her. Even from herself. And instead, he left her to fend alone. His continued absence allowed her negative emotions to fester and take root in the worst of ways. 'It seems we truly are made in His image. We are just as Flawed as he is.' Lucifer allowed himself some sardonic snark in the back of his mind while continuing to comfort his sister until she fell into Remiel's domain. The poor guy was often mistaken for Uriel in The Script, even though they were nothing alike.

He raised an eyebrow when he still felt her reach out to those Souls lying in waiting to be transferred to their final destination, though at a slower pace. She made it an unconscious effort, it seemed. A proud little smile spread on his lips, even through his worry. She was such a shy little thing back then. Only really coming out of her shell when she was talking to him or pranking her siblings. And now she took care of the countless Souls that traversed the Realms. How could he be anything else but proud of her?

It struck him just how right it felt to hold her close again. How much he missed to embrace and shelter his little sister. One of the reasons he enjoyed spending time with her back then was that she needed him. It felt good to be the steady rock to anchor her. To be there for another being and to protect her from all the bad and mean things in the known world. He sighed as he felt another piece of Samael lock into place. His smile was bittersweet. Enid started this. His little daughter dragged to Light the parts of him he had long abandoned. Piece by piece, she began to assemble his former self without even noticing. He refused to be the same naive moron he was back then however. He didn't appreciate the corruption and the taint that came with it, but conquering the Infernal Realms gave him Freedom in ways he never before had. He wouldn't give that up.

But this was where his daughter was special. She didn't want him to. She accepted his entire being with everything he was. Even those bits and pieces he loathed. She didn't want to change him, to somehow make him more palatable. Some days ago, Amenadiel had let slip that he had another face. A form corrupted and consumed by the tainted flames of Hell when he was helpless and defeated after his Father facilitated his Fall. Unable to muster his Grace, he was consumed by the cursed Fire before he made it his own. She wanted to see and, unable to refuse her request, he showed his former Celestial body. He allowed himself to be utterly vulnerable in her presence. When she laid her eyes on the charred remains of his former self, she showed not a hint of fear and loathing. Instead, there were tears in them. Only Acceptance, Compassion, and pain on his behalf were to be found in her gaze.

Gently, as if he was fragile, she touched his scarred face before embracing him fiercely while still taking care to not hurt his cindered body. She was so tender and careful to not cause him any pain. She cried tears not out of fear. No, she weeped for him. As the salty liquid drenched his suit, it didn't cause him agony as he had braced himself for. It felt like a gentle stream caressing his nearly nonexistent skin instead. As if the taint was receding, allowing his raw flesh to heal. A sensation he had long since forgotten. And he added his own tears to hers, glowing with an infernal Light that somehow gleamed harmoniously instead of ravaging its surroundings with its unforgiving heat.

Now that he knew she would accept him in every form he took, it was paradoxically easier to keep himself under control in her presence. Similar was the case with the young angel in his arms. She'd probably resent the thought, but she'd always be his baby sister. And after realising that, it was easy to forgive. They both made mistakes, and her's ate away at her far more rigorously than his did. She had punished herself far more than he ever could. With a flex of his considerable might, he changed their location to his penthouse.

They had several free rooms on the residential floor. She'd take one of those until she was ready to leave his side. He was certain she'd be a bit clingy in the upcoming centuries. And he was alright with that. He needed closeness too. They needed to fully reconnect, but somehow, he couldn't see any problems with that happening. Enid would charm her and pull her into her pace, and the rest would happen naturally. His daughter was more of an angel than he ever was after all.

~Maze~

Standing in front of the slightly run down building, she frowned. All of Lucifer's relevant contacts and Chloe agreed that this address was the headquarters of the most prominent supernatural Headhunters organisation. It didn't look like it at all. Second thoughts were forming in her mind. 'Is this organisation really government sponsored?...' She questioned the information she'd got about it. The Hunter's Guild. An organisation that was responsible for hunting down and containing dangerous outcasts. They worked in tandem with the government and even cooperated with the police force to jointly create a specially trained Unit of individuals who'd hunt down outcast criminals. That wasn't quite what she was planning to sign up for though.

They offered posts as Head Hunters after proving competence. Those were largely unaffiliated with the Guild itself apart from a Hunter's Permit. Hunting down those outcasts fleeing the law, and bringing them to justice for commissions was their job. She was a bit disappointed that the job title wasn't literal, but it appealed to her primal side nonetheless and they seemed to not really care if the criminals were roughed up a bit when they were brought in. It seemed to be a nice hobby to have in general. Plus, it would also allow her to give her Pack a bit of a workout. And they needed it. They were growing restless. As was she, she supposed, even though she had better control over her instincts. Enid managed to calm those with her presence. Probably because she was a young member of the Pack and needed assistance. 'Or...' She didn't even finish that thought before it was banished. The effect she had would only hold so long until she or her Hounds snapped though. Or rather, until she snapped the neck of one of those small-time criminals she was hunting recently in the former Lux's vicinity. So this was what she came up with. But with how the building looked, she had some serious doubts about their credibility.

"Don't let the look fool you. It's intentional, you know?"

She'd known of his arrival the moment he entered her range but for the sake of information gathering, she let him approach her. Curiously, she turned around and regarded the man who'd addressed her. If one could call a walking skeleton that. She smelled the ancient bones he was made of, even though he had a rather convincing illusion woven around himself to conceal his true nature. It even filled out the classy suit he wore.

"And what would a sack of bones know about that, skelly?"

He immediately tensed and the hidden light in his eyes intensified. She smirked challengingly at him. He was some kind of mage, she understood. A necromancer maybe? But no, he smelled of ash and flames in addition to the taint of the undead. His soul was bound to the bones by cursed energies not of his own. A pyromancer then. The pool of his energy wasn't shallow by any means and he had good control over it, hinting at the threat he represented. Among mortals, that was. For most others he would have posed a significant danger. There was just one problem for him if he decided she was an enemy or vice versa. She was an Archdemon from Hell. The direct descendant of an original Lilim. Mortal flames didn't even tickle her.

"Put those party tricks away and explain yourself. I don't care about your lack of flesh. You morons are all the same to me. But if you attack me, I won't hold back..."

Her battle hungry smile widened and she let her presence swell for a moment. He definitely had the right idea. Control was the most important thing if one wanted to grow. Understanding that was the first hurdle a Demon needed to take to advance to the level of an Archdemon. The reserves came with age, but control was only truly internalised through endless repetition and practice. It was why so few demons, even the oldest among them, advanced to the next state. They were lazy and simply lacked the patience needed. Savage fools, all of them. But she persevered and followed the steps of her predecessors. She reached the threshold and pushed past. And this impeccable control coupled with the correct timing could be used to achieve so much.

Any chance of him attacking turned nill when he understood just how far beyond him she was. The gulf was as wide as her's to her Lord. His instincts were telling him that she wouldn't just hunt down his body. No, she'd end his cursed existence and capture his immortal Soul. She'd bind it to the bowels of hell. He was strong enough to understand. To grasp just what his instincts were telling him. And he yielded. His pool of energy went inert again, only keeping up a slight draw to keep his illusions in place. He lowered his skull, wordlessly admitting his inferiority. She appreciated the gesture, but had no need for it. His words were even less important.

"Sorry about that. You know how it is. Running around as a skeleton ain't easy. You don't wanna know how often I got hunted down for the curse binding me to this plane. I thought my illusions are foolproof and kinda freaked when you saw through them so easily."

She smirked, still not letting the edge fade. He had to understand that she wouldn't be quite as forgiving a second time.

"Oh, they are foolproof. Your problem is that I am no fool. I am the Right Hand of the Lord of Hell. If I couldn't sniff out a necromantic Creation like you, I'd be a sad excuse for a Demon. Now, why don't we have a little talk? I'd really like to learn more about this... Organisation. We seem to have similar fields of interest after all. Hunting down Sinners and delivering them to a higher Power who then decides what is to happen with them. Wouldn't you agree?"

He was wary and careful. The illusions were well enough crafted to even allow for micro expressions. There was such a thing as too much detail though. If unconscious things like this flowed into his disguise, it meant exposing himself in ways that didn't really seem necessary. 'To each their own I guess.' She shrugged off her thoughts and followed along with a nod when he indicated the bar across the street with a tilt of his head.

When they were seated, his energy flexed slightly and he murmured some incantations. Wards to allow for privacy went up around them. She nodded thoughtfully before adding three concealed hell forged runes to the barrier that strengthened it enough to withstand Celestial eavesdropping until they decided to pay a personal visit. She didn't plan on blabbing about any secrets, but it was always better to be safe than sorry. She certainly preferred the consequences of caution over those of recklessness. Doing so increased the drain on the skeleton's energy, not that she cared, but he didn't mention it beyond a slight jolt that showed his surprise. He quickly caught himself before starting the conversation in a slightly playful tone.

"So, what would you like to know? I've been a member of the Hunters for a while now, so you probably won't find many who are better informed than me. I've known of the Divine for a long time now too, so I have no trouble believing you to be a Demon, especially with a presence like yours. The Right Hand of the Devil, though? Really?"

'Mouthy piece of...' She stopped herself. He was right in that she hadn't shown nearly enough to even hint at it beyond her words. It was time she changed that, wasn't it? Her smirk was far more dangerous this time and a hint of orange entered her eyes.

"Are you certain you want me to cut loose? I don't even know if that feeble curse that binds you to your existence could possibly withstand the corrosive nature of my presence. If I had to bet, I'd put my money on no though."

In tandem with her words, she released her hold on her infernal nature just a bit. Enough to make him uncomfortable but not nearly enough to unravel that tainted seal on his Soul. It was well made, all things considered. Durable enough to hold itself against the ravages of time. But it wasn't designed with Demons in mind. As such, one flex of her Infernalis would be enough to make it come utterly undone. He shifted uncomfortably before sighing. The illusion mimicked the sound perfectly even though there wasn't anything to sigh from. Was he using vibrations woven into his bones to mimic a voice? Pretty damn delicate spell work. His precision in energy control was nearly impeccable, she admitted reluctantly. It was impressive for a mortal. What he wore like others wore clothes was an extensive and life-like illusion. Needlessly so in her opinion.

"Fine, I get your point. No need to go overboard. One wrong move and your source of information ends up a heap of bones that you'll need to explain away."

Her smirk didn't recede at all. Instead, she contacted Riley to show herself. From her shadows, a rather sizable head appeared. She was her darling. The one Hound always by her side. She loved all of them unconditionally, but Riley was her baby. She was saved by her from an abusive Clan of Demons who were crossbreeding strong canine demonic beasts with other species to somehow create something truly horrifying.

With Riley, they managed that much at least, even though she was an absolute sweetheart. Her blood was corrosive enough to slowly eat away at Celestial flesh, and she could easily bite through tempered steel. She was a menace on any battlefield, but a docile little puppy at home. And even though she was a shy little thing, she was already enthralled by Enid. She had left her shadow more in the past month than in the three years prior. The skeleton gulped when the predatory gaze fell on him. Oh, how she loved to take those cocky little shits who didn't know who they were messing with down a peg.

"I think we'll manage. Now, spill."

She ordered him. And he did as he was told. It was only proper for a creature destined for Hell to ease his punishment by being cooperative while on earth. It was the sensible thing to do.

~Amenadiel~

He fiddled with the sleeves of his new dress shirt and shifted awkwardly as he moved. Its light grey colour contrasted his darker skin well and he appreciated the aesthetic effect it had. He wasn't used to wearing such high class mortal clothes yet. His attention to the garment brought back the memories of a few days back. He had proudly showed off his new wardrobe to his brother, who took a long horrified look at it before sniffing disdainfully at it. He then burned it down wrathfully before turning to him with a glare and he was surprised to find no Hellfire in his eyes.

All his protests and indignation died a fiery death when he spied the unholy gleam in his brother's eyes when Lucifer stalked up to him. He was preparing for the worst, but was entirely unprepared for the surreal experience that followed. He was quickly kidnapped and forced to go clothes shopping with his peacock of a brother. 'If you were to be known as my Brother with as little taste as this, I would flee to Hell out of sheer embarrassment. You lost the privilege to decide for yourself when you chose to buy your clothes at... Walmart.' He shivered and hurried them to his trusted Tailor, who then proceeded to poke and prod at him with several needles and other tools that were just as mysterious to him as his Father's grand Plan. Not long after that, he was numbly sitting there as he watched the outcast work his magic. The man had fabrics, threads and several other things in front of him when they suddenly surged and began to assemble in a chaotic dance that probably only made sense in the man's eyes and no one else's.

Lucifer watched it happen with a satisfied little smile on his lips. When the man, who's name was Antonio as he later learned, was done with his work, there were several full suits complete with dress shirts and belts in front of them. For his undergarments, he received premade versions that nevertheless fit him seamlessly. He was then ushered into a separate room where he was told to change. And It was a revelation, for even his Divine Robes weren't as comfortable as what this man created. He learned the wonders of high quality clothing and was made a Believer. Of course he didn't mention that fact to his brother but judging by the smugness radiating from him, he probably knew anyways.

The few times he had chosen to infiltrate humanity and live some weeks or months on the planet, he had always decided to go for rather cheap clothes. A mistake, as he now could admit. He liked the luxurious sensation of silk on his skin and understood that his problem with mortal clothing wasn't the fact that it wasn't Divine in origin, but that he had chosen poor quality. Truly, Lucy had opened his eyes in that regard.

Speaking of Lucy, he had never thought he'd ever be chewed out by him of all people for acting carelessly. He tore into him with wild abandon, stating that he could have caused insanity and hysteria with his stunt. That his carelessness could have cost the mortals their minds if they weren't as resilient as they were. He was reminded that they had a responsibility and that he'd do well to fulfill it. Otherwise, he'd be... Reminded of it. The worst part of it all was that Lucy's rant was entirely justified. He was careless in a way he hadn't been before and he half expected to be forcefully pulled back to the Silver City for what he'd accidentally done. Frankly, he had fucked up. But nothing of the sort happened. Instead, their Father stayed suspiciously silent. It unnerved him a bit, he had to admit.

He sighed as he thought of that little fact. Amenadiel could have returned to Silver City to see him personally, but he feared the consequences. If he returned for new directions without prompting, would he be forced to fight his baby brother? He didn't want that at all. In his mind, those scuffles they had back in the day didn't count. Not really. If he tried and force the issue as it now stood with his dear niece in the picture, their battle was likely going to be on a far different scale. He had seen what Samael could do if he put his mind to it. He didn't have a warrior's reputation, but that was simply because he didn't fight any of them seriously. He never truly wanted to hurt his siblings and generally held back in all altercations. The only times he ever saw him push himself in a battle was in the Outer Plane Wars and against their Father. And even then, he hesitated several times in the latter. And It cost him dearly.

Now that he wasn't deluding himself anymore, he could admit that he was likely no match for a fully powered Lucifer who could use the Flames of Hell and his Grace in tandem. Heck, as much as it stung his Pride, even his Grace alone was already too much to handle. He might have had a unique grasp on Time, but before the Light that touched all of Creation, he didn't feel all that confident. Especially so since Lucifer was far beyond what he was capable of freezing if he was serious. He always knew instinctively, but simply pushed it to the back of his mind. So yes, he didn't return to Silver City. He didn't want to receive orders that would put him at odds with his Brother again. They had made good headway in reconnecting, and in some ways, they felt closer than ever. And he enjoyed that sensation. He liked having the teasing gaze of the Lord of Hell on him, bantering away lightheartedly, and he appreciated the peace it brought him when his Brother's Grace touched his. It was a soothing warmth that whispered of Family and inclusiveness. A sensation he had missed for eons.

And that wasn't even speaking of his delightful niece. That little energetic girl had caught him and he knew it well. He couldn't even begin to resist her eyes when she pleaded with him and more often than not, he'd cave in seconds. He didn't dislike it though. Never before had any mortal managed to pull at his heartstrings quite as well as she did. And the baffling thing was, it was entirely unintentional. There was no manipulative intent in any of her actions. She was just so bright that she pulled him in without even trying. He still sometimes checked if she wasn't secretly Lucifer's biological daughter, for her charisma and brightness certainly reminded him of the Lightbringer himself.

It was no wonder that they found each other though. Samael was similar to her in his earlier days. A bright yet soothing light. Only rarely did he show that his Light was capable of harm too, and never towards those close to him. Even during the Rebellion, that much didn't change. He never truly invoked his Grace, only using it superficially. And yet, he overpowered all but the Archangels. His closest kin. And only Michael, his twin, forced him to use more than a hint of his Grace. And he showed to be even beyond his twin when he went toe to toe with their Father. 'Why the heck did I think it was a good idea to beat him up again? Ah, yes. I'm a moron.' He thought to himself while smiling wrily. He was finally in the elevator that would deliver him to the Penthouse. He didn't like wasting time like this but it did give him the opportunity to think, and he was thankful for that. He wasn't exactly known for his smarts, and he was fine with that, but he did have a measure of introspection. He knew when it was necessary to think over his actions. Sometimes, at least.

Still, he should have checked with his senses first before stepping off the elevator. Because the picture in front of him once again nearly surprised the Wings out of him. Sitting there with his Wings out and folded in front of him was Lucifer. And on his lap, snuggling into his chest, was their little sister. Azrael looked supremely comfortable, ensconced into a cocoon of Wings and folded into the embrace of Lucifer. It was a scene he had stumbled into quite often when Lucifer was still Samael. But it was the first time ever since the Rebellion.

And somewhere in his heart, another tension dissipated away and an unconscious and gentle smile spread on his lips. This was how it should be. Slowly, the Family was reuniting. Flocking around the warmth that The Lightbringer represented now that he seemed to find his Light again. And there was truly nothing he could have wanted more than that. He'd have to thank Enid for being such a purifying influence on the Lord of Hell. Oh, he knew that the wrathful and dangerous aspect of him was present still. He knew that Lucifer was the Master of Cinders. The Keeper of Hell's Flames. Nothing would change that ever again. He took over a primordial dimension and that simply wasn't reversible.

But what was happening here was that he was finding a balance. An equilibrium between his Celestial origins and his conquered status as the Representation of Sin. That wasn't important though. He still would like to hear what happened to find his wayward sister sitting in Lucifer's lap so suddenly, but for now he simply settled next to them and added his Wings to the cocoon protecting their baby sis from whatever was plaguing her. He ignored the tender thankfulness in Lucifer's gaze when he opened one eye to welcome him silently, and was glad for his darker skin. It did well to hide the faint red that would have shown on his cheeks otherwise.

Chapter Text

~Azrael~

The first thing she noticed when she came to was the luxurious sensation of silk on her skin. The second was that she clearly slept on a cloud because what else could be this soft and accommodating? As all the little comforts began to filter in, she realised she wasn't in her apartment. All those little things combined into a picture that made it clear that Lucifer's visit wasn't a dream. And she had a hard time accepting the fact. Despite her desperate need of denial being denied, she still felt lighter and better than she had in millennia. The vague memories of her panic attack assaulted her, but they were muted by the certainty that it was Lucifer who held and sheltered her. She wouldn't ever forget the sensation of her big brother's arms around her. And now her memories of the feeling were refreshed in her mind. It was a feeling she didn't think she deserved but couldn't really regret.

She rose from half sleep into wakefulness and immediately noticed a second person in the room. She stiffened but relaxed a moment later in confusion when she realised that it was a child. Opening her eyes, she looked towards the corner of the room where a girl was sitting in a chair while idly noting that she was lying in the most comfortable bed she'd ever slept in. The blonde girl was in bright purple pajamas that had rainbow coloured unicorns prancing all over them and she had a stuffed version of the equine mythical beast on her lap. she was petting it as if it was real.

"Ah, you are finally awake. I have expected you, Angel of Death. You walked right into my trap."

The cute but psychedelic girl spoke confidently with suppressed mirth in her voice. Azrael was growing more confused by the second and simply didn't know how to react. The kid jumped from her chair and carefully placed her unicorn on it before turning around and stepping closer. The only warning she got was a slight tension in her legs before she launched herself across the room and caught the befuddled angel in a hug. Idly, Azrael noted that the force the girl used would have killed a normal mortal.

"Yay! A new aunt to cuddle with! It's not too tight, is it? Daddy said you like to be cuddled tightly and that I should use all of my strength. I'm Enid Morningstar and you are my dad's sister Azrael. Daddy had something to do so he asked me to look after you. I wanna know eeeeeeverything about you. Are you really the Angel of Death? Did the goldfish of my cousin really go to Heaven like her parents told her? Did you bring him there? What's it like to travel between Earth, Hell, and Heaven all the time? Do you have any hobbies? Are you a better flier than dad? Y'know, since you have way more practice and practice makes perfect. Dad doesn't like that saying. He told me that perfection is boring since it means you can't grow anymore and that all the people claiming to be perfect have a stick up their behind. Why haven't I met you until now? Dad told me I need to ask you since he didn't really know and didn't want to unintentionally lie. You know how he can get about honesty. Not that it's a bad thing. Do you wanna play anything? Hopscotch maybe? Do you know how hopscotch works? If not, I can teach you! Or maybe card games? I recently learned Go Fish and Uno! Both are fun!"

Her brain failed to compute anything after 'I'm Enid Morningstar'. Oh, she heard her prattle on, and she registered the words. It was cute honestly, but that particular statement was so nonsensical that it simply took up all her capacity. She fought against a new bout of unconsciousness and used the girl who had her arms wound tightly around her middle to keep herself grounded. Somehow, she seemed to understand her need for something to hold on and quieted down as she shifted their positions so that she was cuddled up in Azrael's lap, perfectly positioned to give her hold in this stormy world. The warmth of the little girl and the way she pressed herself into her embrace eagerly helped her to calm herself and she wondered why she suddenly felt so peaceful.

"Thank you... I think I needed a good hug right now and yours is definitely among the best I've gotten so far."

She murmured as she pressed her nose into the little girl's hair. She smelled like vanilla with a hint of sulfur. A strange mix that really shouldn't work as well as it did. Said girl giggled softly and tightened her hold slightly. Were she a normal human, she'd have an unfortunate resemblance to a tube of toothpaste right now, if a tad more gory. Luckily she wasn't that fragile. The hold was just right for her.

"No problem. I love hugs. Daddy said my love-language is touch and after reading a bit on the topic, I think he's right. You can answer my questions later. For now let's cuddle. Just don't forget them."

She magnanimously decreed, much to Azrael's amusement. The blonde girl definitely had her brother's audacity to make demands from the Angel of Death, even though her cuteness definitely would cloud nearly anyone's judgment enough to play along. 'But seriously, is she really Lucifer's daughter?' She was puzzled because she felt the girl wasn't an immortal. Oh, her lifespan was enormous for a mortal being, but it wasn't unending. Slowly, she reached out with her Grace and nearly recoiled.

Her curiosity had borne unexpected results. The girl's Soul was a marvel. First of all, it shone brightly like one of Lucifer's creations, and that was without all the outside interference. The mortal part of it spoke of overcoming hardships and it whispered about acceptance, compassion, and inclusion. Then there was the first anomaly. Her brother's Grace was intrinsically linked into the Soul, but it wasn't inborn as far as she could tell. Instead, it was a link forged by both of them in tandem and she didn't know how such a thing was possible. It wasn't forced upon her though. Not at all. She accepted it wholeheartedly and it clearly was a part of her own by now, connecting her to Lucifer in such a way that she could truly be called his daughter. If it would change her in any way, she really couldn't tell yet.

The second anomaly was far more worrying however. Because it was a direct Link with the Infernal Realms. Contrary to popular belief, Hell wasn't the only one of those. And Lucifer didn't only rule over Hell. The entirety of the Infernal Dimension was conquered by Lucifer. Unintentionally or not, he claimed it as his and it answered the call. Realms as old as this one had their own kind of consciousness. They were sentient and chose their rulers themselves. Lucifer obviously qualified, and just as clearly, this girl did too. For the first time in aeons, another person was linked to the greater collective of this Realm. Not a single dimension like that perverted prick Asmodeus or that dishonest vermin Belial, but all of them. 'She's the heir...' She realised with some fascinated horror. 'Lucy, what have you gotten into now?' She sighed internally since she didn't want to startle the innocent little creature in her lap.

To be fair, all of her observations weren't obvious to spot at all. The connections, solid and indestructible as they were, were subtle and didn't yet influence her in any way if they ever would. She doubted any of her siblings would be able to glean even half as much as she did. Though Gabriel might, with some time to use Enochian Diagnostics on her. Souls were Azrael's expertise since she had to deal with them in their rawest state shortly after death. Before her eyes, everything was laid bare. She was practically forced to hone her senses and to sharpen her control in that regard to not accidentally cause irreparable damage while on the job.

'He probably doesn't even know what happened, the goof. He always got up to the most ridiculous antics ever, doing things that were supposed to be impossible even back then.' She realised and it made her feel a bit better. Also, if the girl didn't actively hone those connections, they wouldn't have any influence over her even if they were nestled into her soul for the many centuries she'd be alive. Coming to that conclusion, she decided this to be a rather low priority problem. Instead, she marveled that her brother adopted a child so thoroughly. An adorable and bright girl who survived abuse and came out of it far stronger if she read her soul correctly.

'He always was a sucker for sob stories, no matter how much he tried to deny the fact.' Some amusement made it through the thick fog on her emotional state. Her thoughts were interrupted by... Enid? Yes, that was her name. By Enid snuggling deeper into her embrace.

"Mmm. You're almost as comfy as dad... Lemme nap, just an hour or ten."

She murmured before soft snores began to reverberate through the otherwise silent room and she couldn't help the fact that another bout of amusement rose from within her, this time tinged with a hint of helplessness. 'Great. Now I have a sleeping child on me and she doesn't seem to be inclined to let go. What should I do now?' Once again, a sigh wanted to push past her lips, one to air her amusement this time, but she contained it. Instead, she let the hint of a smile that wanted to appear on her lips through and accepted the trust she was bestowed with. This girl barely knew her. The only things she knew were some offhand comments from Lucy. And she acted upon that sparse information and decided to trust her enough to fall asleep on her. And all of that despite the fact that she was a victim of abuse and should have severe trust issues. 'Acceptance indeed.' She acknowledged once again what the girl's Soul had communicated. It was rare to find such a compassionate one. She only had similar cases once or twice a century and none were that prone to latch on. 'I guess I can nap a bit with her before facing the music.' She decided as she gently pulled her to her side while lying down, only for her new niece to latch onto her immediately after being covered by the blanket.

'I think I understand why he went as far as adopting her. She's absolutely adorable. And she reminds me so much of a younger Lucifer. Back when he still went by Samael. Before things went... sour.' she accepted the bitterness as what it was and it felt easier to do than usual. Azrael hadn't felt much after she forced a disconnect with her emotions because everything was just too heavy to deal with. Only the strongest feelings managed to take hold and most of what made it through was negative in nature. This little girl though, she just lanced through the fog and spread her Light carelessly and copiously. She even made the weight easier to bear with snuggles of all things. How would she ever stand a chance? She didn't, she knew. Not against a fledgling female innocent version of Samael. Surrendering to the comfortable softness around her and the pocket heater in her arms, she sank once again into sleep. Only this time, there was a small smile on her lips that she didn't even notice herself.

~Chloe~

She felt the resentment within her grow when she looked at her daughter. Not towards her of course, but at the situation and her ex, of course. She was hiding it well but her monkey was disappointed. Worse yet, the fact that she was hiding it so well meant that she expected this outcome. She prepared for it. 'So much for trying to keep his promises to our daughter from now on... I don't know why I expected anything different.' She internally groused with more bitterness than she thought herself capable of. He didn't even care enough to send a text or call her, and when she called him, he blew her off in less than a minute. He told her he was surprisingly assigned to a stake out. That they shouldn't wait up for him. She was almost certain he volunteered but even if he didn't, it didn't really matter. Because that was how it always ended and she should really be used to it already. But getting used to Trixie's heartbreak just wasn't something she would ever allow herself.

Chloe subtly took a deep breath to calm herself and plastered a semi-genuine smile onto her face. Her frustrations had nothing to do with her daughter and everything with Dan. He wasn't even capable of making time for Trixie once a month. All she wanted was that he'd participate in this week's Taco Tuesday and maybe play some boardgames afterwards. That shouldn't have been impossible, damn it! Trixie had the following day off since they found a small nest of rats in an out-of-the-way corner of the school and wanted a specialist to comb through all of the grounds to make sure they didn't miss anything. She was glad they took problems with vermin seriously and called in the experts instead of trying to handle it themselves. It showed responsibility and made her glad she chose this school. This meant that they could push her bedtime back a bit if they so wanted. She tried to use that fact to allow her father to bond a bit with her after his continued absence in her life. And he blew it. Spectacularly. And now it was on her again to save the evening.

"Look, monkey. I'm sure he wanted to come but didn't...-"

She couldn't bring herself to defend that callous man when she saw the shattered expectations and the onset of tears in her daughter's deep brown pools. No. He didn't deserve to be defended. Instead, she rounded the table and pulled her into a soft embrace that she returned fiercely, clutching at her with desperation. Trixie fought to contain her tears and pushed them back before mumbling into her shoulder as she eased up slightly.

"I'm ok, mom. I'm used to it."

She really wasn't. And she shouldn't have to be. She should be able to look up to her dad and adore him. She should be able to laugh brightly while sitting on his shoulders and she should be a total daddy's girl while Chloe had to constantly berate him for spoiling her too much and giving in too easily. Instead, she was disillusioned and learned not to trust lightly. She was still energetic and outgoing, but she was beginning to put emotional distance between herself and her peers. She was not even ten years old yet and she was already suffering from trust issues. Sometimes she really wanted to shoot her ex. She wanted to save this somehow but she didn't know how, so she asked her daughter. If anyone knew how to cheer her up, it would be herself, right?

"Tell you what. You give me something to work with. What do you want to do? If it's something that's possible today, I'll try to arrange it. Let's make the best out of a disappointment, shall we?"

Trixie nodded softly before thinking. When her eyes lit up and a bright smile that matched her eyes quickly spread on her lips, she had an inkling just what she'd ask. She knew that smile and the excitement. Only one topic invoked both recently. 'I bet two donuts that she wants me to invite Lucifer and Enid.' Because those two managed to catch her daughter's heart in record time. And she wasn't against it at all, even though one of them was literally Satan and the other his adoring daughter. True, she was adopted, but still. They had met up several times for playdates in the past two weeks and she'd grown closer to all of those ancient beings, crazy as it was. So close in fact that she'd call both, 'Uncle Amy' and Maze friends.

As for Lucifer? That strange concoction of a flirty man child, a responsible adult, and a fantastic father to a bright little girl somehow became... more. He wormed himself into her heart and ended up as her best friend and confidante. While he behaved a bit erratic at times, he was a genuinely good listener and compassionate to a fault. He had trouble grasping some concepts, which was entirely fair with him being an immortal Celestial being and all, but he always tried his best to give advice and a different perspective. His honesty and unforgiving bluntness about his opinions were refreshing traits in a world filled with lies and empty platitudes. He also had an uncanny intelligence and insight when he put his mind to it. 'Just what is my life that the Lord of Hell is my best friend?' She thought to herself even as she looked expectantly at her daughter.

"Can we invite Enid and Lucifer?! I'm sure they'd have fun too! Enid told me she played Disney Monopoly with Amy, Maze, Lucifer, and Cherona!"

'Called it. Wait, the dog played...? Ah, right. She's a Hellhound. More intelligent than most humans, not that that is a challenging hurdle to clear. They have different standards.' She reminded herself even as she nodded slowly.

"I guess if he can make time, I'm not against it."

After jumping from her chair to do a small and absolutely adorable victory dance, she quickly closed her eyes and folded her hands in front of her face. 'Is she praying?' She thought, bemused by the notion. She wasn't going to deny that he was capable of hearing her after receiving proof for it, but a busy man like him wouldn't just drop everything to...- That thread of thought came to a rather abrupt end when suddenly, gentle Light flooded her kitchen. As it faded, a tall and handsome figure stepped out of it with an inquisitive smile on his lips. She did her best to ignore the warmth that spread through her chest at being proven wrong in the best of ways and concentrated on his words.

"Now, look at you, Detective! Living it up with your spawn and... Tacos?"

He asked, slightly confused, only to startle when Trixie's arms wound around his leg. Unconsciously, his hand lowered itself gently on top of her head as he accepted her embrace somewhat uncomfortably. His soft touch seemed to do wonders for her daughter and she could see the tension slowly leave Trixie's body. 'She trusts him. He's the Devil and she trusts him completely. Hell, he's the Lord of Sin and I trust him with my daughter.' Sometimes, it was still a bit much to take in, but she tried not to let it get to her too much. It helped that the most he'd entice her to do was indulging in sweets. As if she needed any encouragement in that regard.

"Duh! Of course there are Tacos. It's Taco Tuesday! What else would we eat?"

Her little monkey told him as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. She almost laughed when his puzzled eyes fell on her, but she managed to hold it in and only offered him an amused glance before she had to look away or she would have lost control.

"It... Is?"

He turned his eyes to her daughter with his question and she nodded emphatically with a bright smile. Her next words were a punch to Chloe's gut but they also showed just how much trust she put into the Devil. That she could say them with a genuine smile on her lips and only the slightest of tremors in her voice was a testament of how effective an emotional pillar he was. It wasn't just that unshakable feeling that he was trustworthy. She'd gotten over that 'ages' ago and relied on her own judgment in the matter. No, he was proving himself to be a dependable influence in her daughter's life and she loved to see it.

"Uh huh. And because my dad didn't keep his promise, I wanted to invite you and Enid and whoever you want to bring. The more people, the more fun!"

Beneath her cheer and excitement, there was a hint of uncertainty. She was putting herself out there. Testing if her Faith was well placed. And he realised it. She saw the onset of tension in his frame when she started talking. It solidified slightly when her words registered. But she also saw how the corners of his eyes loosened up, making his gaze on her daughter something tender. Something compassionate. At the same time, the way his hand caressed her daughter's hair changed slightly. It suddenly had a protective note that wasn't there moments prior.

This was exactly the reason why he managed to take the spot of her best friend in record time. Well, that and the fact that the position had been open for a good decade by now. But that wasn't relevant. He actually cared about her daughter. There was no denying it, even though he threw around statements like 'My daughter's happiness is paramount.' and 'I would be a bad father if I didn't care for my daughter's friends.'. It didn't change the fact that he was upset on her behalf. 'Just how did this man end up being reviled for all the sins of mankind? Are they all brainless morons?' Thinking back to most people she met in her life, she shelved that particular train of thought, lest she'd abandon her Faith in humanity as a whole.

"Well, I did have plans for this evening but they can be easily altered. Especially after learning of such a hallowed tradition. 'Taco-Tuesday', was it? I am certain we can find an accord. And I wanted to talk to you as well, Beatrice. While I appreciate the... enthusiasm with which you bombard my eardrums during prayer, the discordant notes you sing, and I am using this term in the broadest of senses, literally hurt me more than any exorcism that was ever performed on my not-so-mortal coil. But since you seem determined to torment me with your voice, I've decided to solve this problem alternatively. I have arranged for a teacher to impress upon you the art of singing. She will hopefully be able to guide your voice into less destructive waters. Now, why don't we pack up and change locations? This is hardly a fitting venue for olden rites. And store bought taco shells, Detective? Really? I must admit, I am disappointed. This won't do at all..."

She snorted in good humour at his food snobbery, but her mind was fixed on another part of his words. He hired someone to teach her daughter how to sing because she wouldn't stop doing it during prayer... She was almost certain he could just stop receiving them, but he went out of his way to make sure he wouldn't have to... She excused herself and fled the room to not give away the near-overwhelming emotions on the inside. To do something productive while her chest expanded immeasurably, she hurried to her little monkey's room to pack an overnight bag. Because she certainly would want to have a sleepover since tomorrow was a free day for both, Enid and her.

It was one of the benefits of them sharing a class. Speaking of them sharing a class, the prank they played on their daughters was a resounding success and the girls were thrilled to learn of their shared schooling. Trixie showed her enthusiasm by transforming herself into a ballistic missile on sight to hug her when she collected her from school that day. She was smiling for days afterwards. It was great. Chloe was truly proud of herself for that one.

After she was done collecting some clothes to add to the already well filled bag, she stopped for a moment to catch herself. Her free hand was pressed against her chest as she tried to calm her rapidly beating heart while leaning against the wall behind her. Even as she inwardly celebrated the ancient entity that was looking after her daughter for the moment, a tendril of resentment wormed itself through her joy. Because why couldn't her ex be this considerate about their daughter? Why did it take the Devil himself to make her daughter smile and laugh freely? To restore her Faith in people? 'I really, really want to shoot Dan.' She acknowledged not for the first time. It would take far more self-control to keep her temper when she'd meet him in the precinct the next day. 'Maybe just the arm? Or his buttocks? I could make it seem like an accident...'

She banished those thoughts to the back of her mind because if she thought too much about it, she wasn't sure if she'd be able to resist the temptation. Well, that and she wanted this to be good for her daughter. She wanted her to enjoy an evening that was fated to become another disappointment. After taking some deep breaths to get her mental state under control, she slowly descended the stairs only to melt at the sight before her in the living room. Spread between Trixie's fingers was a thread in an intricate formation. She held it towards Lucifer with a challenging smile. He was picking at the lines with his long fingers, his brows furrowed in concentration. Finally, he seemed to decide what to do and pulled some of the lines to take over the construct and create a new one. He failed with a sound of dismay however, and Trixie giggled as she let herself fall sideways on the couch. Cat's Cradle wasn't one of the Devil's many talents it seemed.

"Who would have thought that a single piece of string could create such an infernal construct..."

He grumbled with a tinge of humour colouring his voice, much to her daughter's amusement. She would forever deny the single tear that fled her eye as she smiled softly at the pair of them. This was what she wanted for her little monkey. This was the kind of relationship she desperately wished for her to have with her own father. But he failed. He was estranged and with the way things went recently, he probably wouldn't ever have a true bond with her. Somehow, as she watched them try again, the expected heartbreak was far more mild than usual. She didn't need to wonder why. Not at all.

~Lucifer~

After gathering up the Spawn and the Detective, he made an offer. One he wouldn't have even thought of some months ago. And It certainly wasn't an opportunity he would have extended to any mortal back then. He offered them to fly. He couldn't take them through the Dimensional Stream, Divinity or not. They were untrained and even though he was quite good at manipulating the currents, he couldn't guarantee their safety. The same couldn't be said about flying.

"Are you sure it's safe?"

The Detective asked for the third time as she worried her lip after the little urchin began to badger her into accepting the chance to glide freely above the city. He smiled mischievously at both of them and winked at the little girl who giggled away in that strangely endearing way of hers.

"But of course it is, my dear. I wouldn't ever put you two in danger intentionally. Now, stop trying to murder that bag and let's get a move on. We are burning daylight as people like to say. Preposterous, really. As if anyone could burn away the magnificent rays of my creation."

He sniffed and turned his nose up which caused the little urchin to outright laugh. He carefully hid away the little smile that wanted to sneak onto his lips. Beatrice was important for his daughter. She was her first true friend and from what he had seen, she was loyal beyond fault. As such, her happiness was a topic of import for him. And she was growing on him too, he supposed. Like the fungus she invited every time she spread her stickiness on his suit. That and he could sympathise with her. His own Father was much the same after all. Even before his Rebellion, he tended to turn his attention towards his projects more often than towards his family. On some days, he could even understand his Mother. If his partner, who was supposed to care for him and be cared for in turn, turned all of their focus on a matter entirely unrelated to him, wouldn't he too grow bitter over time? Of course, she was still a frigid and manipulative bitch who turned on her children, so any sympathy he had for her died a quick death. The same couldn't be said about Beatrice however. She had his sympathy and he would go out of his way to brighten her day, just slightly.

He turned his attention to the Detective who nodded slowly with a faint wry smile and consciously relaxed herself. It was a skill he admired a bit. Most mortals went through life without ever developing it. Her self-control was definitely one of her better traits. Not that she had many of the worse variety. The more he learned of her, the more she fascinated him. He was aware that his interest was a slippery slope and that he was beginning to show signs of something akin to infatuation, but he didn't really care... much. After the time they spent together, she had grown completely immune to his influence and any trust she bestowed upon him now was completely of her own volition. That she continued to do so was a marvel for him, so he'd return the favour and extend his own.

Before he allowed himself to let them fully into their life, he asked Amenadiel to look into the fact that she had Divinity in her Soul. Lo and behold, one of his theories was actually spot on. All that was needed to solve the case was him hearing her full name. Chloe Jane Decker. Amenadiel confessed to following orders of Father some decades ago and a short internet search confirmed his suspicions. Her mother was the one he visited. Penelope Decker was unable to conceive and yet she did, with a little Divine Intervention from Uncle Amy. This made her daughter the first true Miracle in millennia. He also got more out of this search than he expected, since he now finally knew why he had the faint impression that he'd seen her in the nude. She starred in a movie called Hot Tub Highschool, shortly following the footsteps of her mother, who was the veritable queen of 80s cheeseball Sci-Fi. He was only waiting for the perfect moment to use his new knowledge. He surprised himself by assigning more importance to that little fact about the Detective than the Divine Intervention that created her.

Once upon a time he would have freaked, he had to admit. He would have thrown around accusations mindlessly and more than that, he would have begun to question everything. He would have become a paranoid mess, creating theories as to how his Father wanted to control him through one of his agents. He was mentally in a better place now though, thanks to his daughter. His impulse control still wasn't the best and he would admit to not trying very hard to improve on it further since it would make life far less fun and spontaneous, but he at least had enough of a grasp on himself to keep his immediate reaction contained and look at things somewhat objectively. There were a few facts he could establish. The most important one was that Father wouldn't infringe on a human's Free Will, even if she was a Miracle. It was his most important rule and he wouldn't break it for anything. He might nudge someone in a certain direction, but he wouldn't outright influence anyone. It was one of the few things he could respect in regards to his Father.

Another thing Lucifer was sure of was the fact that he would have noticed if his own mind had been subverted. Even before he established himself as the Ruler of an entire Realm, he had a far too rebellious mind to truly be subjugated. And now that he had done just that, touching it was a nigh-impossible task, and doing so without him noticing even more so. Additionally, he knew the difference between implanted and natural emotions. And what he was beginning to sense in himself was natural. He wasn't sure what it was yet, but it was new and felt like a budding flower trying to reach for the sky. He rather liked that sensation and decided to let it grow unimpeded. Whatever it was, it was sure to bring something new to his life and he was notoriously curious. Always up for some... experimentation.

Not for the first time, he was glad that even the most lengthy of tangents only took less than a second to work through for his Celestial mind. Otherwise he would often stand around for minutes, looking at nothing while his thoughts raced through all kinds of threads and strings and knots. As it was, barely any time passed and he focussed on the two females who would soon experience the absolute Freedom that was Free Flight. He did his best to ignore the fluttery feeling of his heart when he listened to Chloe's answer.

"I trust you. And It isn't as if we have a fear of heights... Ok. Let's do this. But... Start slowly? I know we will be invisible since you'll bend the Light around us, so that's not a point of concern, but we are a bit more fragile than your average Celestial so we'll need some time to get used to the sensation."

He agreed with an impish smirk that made the corners of her eyes crinkle with worry, but he didn't give her any more time to voice her concerns. Instead, he gently lifted them off the ground, floating Chloe beside himself, stopping for a moment to look at her questioningly. She understood and softly nodded, so he grasped her and held her close with one arm while taking the spawn into his other one. He held her close with her back pressed to his chest and she wiggled a bit to make herself comfortable before settling and looking up at him while grinning brightly and mischievously. Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see the Detective's gaze soften considerably, but he refused to contemplate the reasons why his heart missed a beat and summoned his Wings instead.

Slowly they lifted off the ground and he rose into the air steadily before accelerating. He made sure to protect them from the forces that were invoked by their rapid speed while allowing them access to enough oxygen and warmth. He didn't want to arrive home only to have them unconscious from oxygen deprivation or suffering from hypothermia. It would put a bit of a strain on their relationship and it would also ruin their plans for the evening, which was entirely unacceptable. So he made sure they were alright as he increased their speed. Quickly, Chloe's worry gave way to wonder as they broke through the clouds. Above them was his second proudest deed. The night sky. Only beaten by the adoption of his daughter.

Stars gleamed and he invoked a hint of his Grace, brightening them to the point where even those usually invisible or overshadowed by others showed their full splendor. With idle amusement, he wondered what kind of explanation those scientists would find for this phenomenon. They always were quick to try and explain the supernatural away, even with outcasts and the Divine walking right among them. They liked to claim that magic was just science not yet explained. 'Does that mean that Father is one of those deranged mad scientists? It kinda fits him and the theme is rather popular in modern media, isn't it? Maybe he had a hand in that? To build some solidarity among the masses?'

Putting those amusing but nonsensical idle thoughts away, he looked down and found the child smiling a wide and serene smile with glittering eyes. She was clearly enjoying herself and he allowed himself a small measure of Pride. Especially so when he heard twin gasps from his arms. The reason for those was the shooting star he summoned. He made sure to pull an especially pretty one. It exploded into a shower of orange twinkles that reminded him of fireworks before fading away. On a whim, he surreptitiously pulled some of the palmeira citrines that were encased in the space rock and gave it its colour. He then hid them away. They'd make fabulous souvenirs once he polished and processed them. Maybe he'd fashion them into earrings or a necklace.

On another topic, he was aware that he saved the child's day and he relished in the fact. No one deserved to feel unloved by someone as close to them as their Father. It was a sensation that had a habit of ripping one's heart apart. He knew that from experience. If he could alleviate it even slightly, the use of his Grace was worth it. So what if his creations were too far away to make such things possible? He was the first Light and all those that came after him followed his command. As if such an inconsequential matter as distance would ever influence his control over his creations.

After some minutes, he let the stars fade slowly and descended again, drawing lazy loops that made Beatrice giggle and Chloe smile. When they broke through the clouds again, they laid their eyes upon the City of angels from high above. It seemed so small from up here, and to him it was, he supposed. But for the two Deckers, it put things into perspective. The little urchin seemed to contemplate something before coming to terms with it and relaxing into his hold. Her enjoyment only grew as he could feel it radiating from her even though he sensed some guilt intermingling with it. He wondered what she'd feel guilty for but he didn't want to overstep his bounds so he let her be for the moment.

Chloe Decker was looking at him with an unreadable gaze and he felt a bit out of his depth, but she too settled quickly and gifted him a small quirk of her lips paired with an exceedingly tender look that increased the uncomfortable sensation in his chest. His heart seemed determined to do acrobatics but curiously, he somehow failed to dislike it. It was confusing for him but he would figure it out in time. Just not now. He sighed and gave up the futile attempt of understanding himself and drew some circles as he descended before landing on his balcony that extended into the lot on the back of the building that was once destined to become Lux.

He spread his senses and noticed that both, his sister and his daughter, were asleep. In each other's arms if he interpreted the feedback correctly. 'And she caught another one...' He mused as a soft smile spread on his lips. He gestured to their guests to be silent for a moment as he led them into the penthouse through the balcony door and wanted to sneak into the room for potential blackmail material but before he had a chance to leave, Chloe caught his arm and pulled him back. Confused, he turned to her only to have his breath taken away by the radiant smile on her lips.

"I just wanted to say thank you. Thank you for letting us into your home so suddenly and for going along with my daughter's antics. Just... thank you."

Her words meant more than she was saying, he realised. She emphasised them in a unique way and there was so much emotion in them that he had a hard time to decipher them. Still, he didn't want to leave without giving an answer.

"Yes, well. I couldn't just leave you with the travesty that are store-bought shells. And no offense, but those dips looked atrocious. I had to save you two from such a fate."

The spawn, who had silently listened in until now, made her presence known with a stifled giggle and he used the Detective's change of focus to flee the premises. He shook his head lightly to clear it and sighed. He would need to search his feelings again. It was such a tedious thing, but he hoped to soon have capable assistance. Besides the role he was going to offer Doctor Linda Martin, he was also hoping to hire her as his therapist, as well as Enid's. While she was adjusting well from what he could see, it couldn't hurt to have the opinion of an expert.

He shelved those thoughts and pulled out his smartphone. After being coerced into procuring one, he had learned to use it effectively with Enid's help. Taking care to make no noise, he sneaked towards Azrael's new room to fulfill his original purpose and sneaked in, only to stop immediately. Rarely had he seen such a precious scene. He just had to take this picture. His little sister was lying on her side, nearly completely covered by the silver silk blanket he had spread above her and hidden in her arms, with only a hint of a golden gleam peeking out, was his daughter. The latter shifted slightly and pushed her head into the hollow of Azrael's neck. That was the moment he captured before regrettably moving to wake her.

"Dearest Hellspawn, we have visitors."

He softly told her when she stirred. An eye opened and the fog of sleep cleared slightly as she made a questioning noise, not yet capable of speech as she was still quite close to the Realm of Dreams.

"Beatrice and the Detective decided to share their tradition of 'Taco-Tuesday' with us and I decided that our home is a better venue to celebrate. Don't you want to come and spend some time with her?"

Immediately, she seemed as if she was electrified. All signs of sleep were ripped apart with adorable viciousness as she extricated herself slowly and carefully from his sister's arms before slipping from the bed. Silently she gave him a quick hug that was gently reciprocated.

"I will follow you soon. Why don't you go and greet them? Tell them I'll soon fulfill my duties as their host."

She nodded eagerly and he pressed a kiss to her hair before letting her go. She slipped out of the room as silently as she could, but she needn't have bothered.

"How are you, my dear sister?"

He asked her. She was awake ever since he entered after all. She pretended for some more seconds before sighing and moving to sit up. Her posture was closed off, though not as much as it was before. She was at least cognisant and realised that he was as real as they came. A wry smile played on her lips but it didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Better, I guess. Sorry that you had to see me like that. On most days, I have myself under control, but sometimes, I crash like Razzy did that one time she stole Mother's alcohol and went flying."

He snorted out a laugh. That was a treasured memory alright. The prim and proper Raziel drank the whole bottle on a dare and really livened up the place. It took Father days to wipe the blackened stains from his buildings that were left there by the Divine Lightning she rained down as she giggled and tumbled through the air. He recognised her attempt to stall and deflect, and allowed it for a minute or so before he forced his mien into the necessary sternness. She shrank back even further and he had to admit that it made his heart clench painfully.

"There is just one rule that I want to enforce in this conversation. Please be honest. Nothing else. If you don't want to answer anything you don't have to. I won't throw you out or anything. I simply want to help my little sis. But one thing takes priority above all else."

He made sure he had her attention before continuing.

"Please let me apologise. I won't ask for forgiveness for the Rebellion. I still do not think I was wrong. I could have gone about it in another, less destructive way, but I was younger and far less experienced and I felt that time wasn't something I had. So I chose direct confrontation, things escalated beyond control, and I paid the price. What I want to express regret for is the way I tried to pressure you into things you were clearly uncomfortable with. I am deeply ashamed of the way I behaved and I can only hope you find it in your heart to forgive me."

He bowed his head and ignored the incoherent noise of surprise that came from his sister. Instead, he waited on her verdict. He wanted to be there for her, but if his former behaviour left deep enough scars to make her uncomfortable with his presence, then he certainly wouldn't force it. He was surprised when he was suddenly shoved. His eyes snapped upwards and he looked his sister into her's as she seemed to be deeply unhappy about something he'd said. Almost furious in fact.

"You don't get to apologise! You didn't do anything wrong! You fought for all of us and I refused to take part! I knew things were bad and I still refused to take a stand! How can you look at me and see anything else but a pathetic waste of space? If anyone has to apologise, it's me! I let you storm off into a war that was only partly of your making! One that was a long time coming, and yet you were the one taking all the blame! You weren't the only one who was aware! But little Azzy was too scared! I simply couldn't... I... I'm sorry... So sorry..."

She was crying and he was shocked. That wasn't what he wanted at all. He released the breath he had been holding in and grabbed her to pull her closer. When she didn't resist, he pulled her into an embrace and whispered.

"Your self-loathing is completely unnecessary, you know? It took me a while, but I understand. I grasp that your fear of accidentally ending a Celestial life permanently is entirely justified. It took me so long to remember the look of horror on your face when Father gifted you with that blade linked to your concept. He certainly didn't put much thought into that particular gift."

She stiffened slightly when he mentioned the Blade of Death. It was a powerful weapon, no doubt about it. One of the Almighty's most powerful creations if he was to be honest, but why would their Father gift it to someone who was already worrying about being too deadly? 'Well, giving it to someone else would have been an even worse idea. Why did he even create that thing?...' Shaking his head, he continued.

"You are, for good reason, a pacifist. I trampled on that resolution and you stood your ground. That's not cowardly. You feared being rejected by me. But that did not stop you from staying neutral. You steadfastly refused to take part in any of the conflicts on either side. It takes courage to stand in the face of your favourite brother and your Father and tell both of them that you will not fight for either. I am proud of you, Azzy. You did exceedingly well."

She shook her head in his embrace, even as tears fell onto his suit again. He knew it would take time for her to accept it, but that was what he truly thought. He knew it wasn't possible for her to just accept his words at face value. She was too damaged for that. But he would be there to support her in any way she wanted and needed. It was his job as a big brother after all.

"Now, why don't we join the others? I want to show off my favourite sister and I want you to officially meet my daughter. Even though she already managed to talk herself into your bed."

She softly hit his chest and he smiled when she murmured.

"Be good, you goof. Don't even joke about that. She's so bright and warm, you know? She reminds me of you in your really early years. Back when I was still trying to grasp why flying upside down is a bad idea and you were there to catch me when I tried."

He had to laugh at that. It had been a really long time and she developed the skills of a seasoned flier eventually, but she had a rough start indeed. She just didn't get the concept of direction and went down far more often than any of the others. Though she did manage some strange stunts by accident that hurt his mind even now just by thinking about them. So he answered instead of hurting himself.

"Oh, I know. My daughter's adoption is the one thing I am proudest of. The night sky is a close second in tandem with caring for you. The latter would be second if I wasn't so ashamed of how I handled the Rebellion's aftermath."

They stayed for some more minutes before she pulled back. Her eyes were still a bit... Empty for lack of a better word, but there was a hint of the expressive little sis he missed so much. The way she looked at him as if she wasn't sure if he was really there worried him though.

"Don't you dare mistake me for Mikey again. I can't guarantee your safety if you do."

He told her seriously only for her to choke out a laugh. 'Well, that's something at least?' He questioned himself as she pulled back completely.

"As if he'd have ever hugged me. I know who you are. I'm just not sure if this isn't all a big manic episode. I want this to be real so much..."

She trailed off when she saw his index finger glowing with both, infernal heat and Celestial Light. She scrambled backwards in panic and grabbed the first weapon she found. A pillow. Which was promptly catapulted into his face with enough force to explode the feathery projectile on impact. 'Pacifist my Divine arse.' He thought, befuddled by the sudden turn of events. His daughter chose this particular moment to return, of course.

"Hey! Are you two coming? I have something to tell-... Did you have a pillow fight without me?! That's so mean!"

He sighed even as he grabbed a pillow for himself and halfheartedly lobbed it at his Morningstar who eagerly took the assist for what it was and jumped his sister. Her answering squawk made him smile as he blew away the feather that floated from his hair after he lightly shook his head. 'What even is my life?' He thought to himself as he watched his daughter dart under the hastily mounted defense of his sister only to slam her pillow into Azzy's face before hugging her around the waist while laughing. They both fell back onto the bed and cuddled up for a moment.

"I'm sharing you with Trixie now, by the way."

His precocious daughter suddenly threw a nonsensical statement into his face. His facial expression must have been something to behold since both, Enid and Azrael giggled away at it. 'This is going to become a theme, isn't it?' He asked himself as his lips pulled into a helpless smile. They'd better return to their guests. It was discourteous to leave them waiting.

~Trixie~

She was guilty. She knew it and she felt the sensation gnawing away in her tummy as she watched Lucifer work in the kitchen. She was allowed to observe him but not to enter the room since it was dangerous with knives and other sharp or pointy things flying around under his floaty power. Her eyes flicked to her best friend, who in turn was observing her with a slight smile on her lips.

"I told you already, Trix. Your wish didn't change anything. I already decided on my first school day that I want to share my dad with you. His heart is big enough for both of us and even more."

Yes, she'd told her that. But what if that was the wish talking? What if her careless wish to the shooting star caused her to think this? She shouldn't have-... Her thoughts were interrupted by the sudden embrace from Enid. Her gentle hold enveloped her in warmth and she clung to her desperately. Trixie thought that she wasn't supposed to draw comfort from the person she wronged but she couldn't stop herself.

"Look. I always wanted a sister. I only had brothers and they were mean and stole my food. A sister though, I think that would have been great. Now I have one. And not just that, but she's my bestest friend. All you need to do is keep being yourself and you'll be the bestest sister ever. I already love you like one anyways. And if my dad becomes your dad too, that just means it's official. Like my adoption. He told me he wanted me as his daughter, and I believed him since he never lies, but when I saw the paper with my new name on it, it became more... real, I think? This is the same thing. Just enjoy it. I will too. You'll be the best sis anyone can have. And if it was the shooting star changing my mind, then I'm glad about it. It just means that I was a poop head before your wish."

Trixie had to giggle at that. That was a funny word. When she calmed down, she thought and nodded. She couldn't change what she did. And if she was honest, guilt or not, she didn't want to change it. She could only make the best out of it. So she'd be the best sister Enid could ever wish for. She'd even share her chocolate cake with her. It was the biggest sacrifice she ever decided on and only the thought of Enid's smile when she received her share kept her resolve firm. It almost took the pain away.

Enid shifted the hug and was suddenly behind her with her chin placed on Trixie's shoulder. The feeling of being held and supported from behind was nice so she leaned back and enjoyed it. Together, they continued watching Lucifer perform his magic in the kitchen. Both of them knew he was putting on a bit of a show since he knew they were watching. It didn't take long until the tacos began to assemble themselves. Trixie realised that not all of them had the same amount of the many different ingredients he was using in them. And that he used the salsa to make different emojis on top of them. Some were smiling, some smirking, and others were pouty or frowning. The rarest one was the devil emoji.

"Enid? Be a dear and call your Uncle Amy. Tell him he's invited to share the hallowed tradition of 'Taco-Tuesday' with us."

Enid nodded against her shoulder but showed no sign that she'd follow Lucifer's words. That was what she thought until she noticed her folding her hands in front of her. 'Silly me. She's praying to him. Of course she is, he's an angel too.' Seconds after she concluded her thoughts, the man with those large grey Wings suddenly appeared. Usually, she would have at least flinched but somehow she felt completely safe in Enid's arms. 'I guess she's the big sister then, even though I'm a bit older.' She concluded with flawless logic only a child was capable of.

"What in Father's name is 'Taco-Tuesday'?"

The man called Uncle Amy asked the still cooking Lucifer. His voice was nice and deep, and she could imagine him singing really well. Suddenly, a thought struck her. Maybe Lucifer didn't like her singing voice because Uncle Amy's was better? She stared suspiciously at the big man, and he threw her a clueless look before asking.

"Uhm, Lucy? She's looking at me strangely. Is she sick or something? Should I heal her? Or did Divinity affect her belatedly?"

Her new papa laughed lightly as the last few tacos floated onto the large platter he was carrying effortlessly with one hand. He turned around with a slight smile and shook his head.

"Don't worry about it. Children can be a bit strange at times. It's normal. Just go sit at the table and wait for my infamous Taco el Diavolo. Maybe talk a bit with Azzy? She's probably a bit overwhelmed right now and I want her to be comfortable."

He nodded and turned around to walk away, but she couldn't let his casual dismissal slide. Emboldened by the safety in Enid's arms, she called out confidently.

"Lucifer got me a singing teacher. I'll beat you in no time. Just you see."

With a satisfied nod, she ignored the boundless confusion she inflicted upon Uncle Amy and the suppressed laughter from Lucifer. Instead, she turned her attention to the important things. She smiled with anticipation when the divine smell of those tacos tickled her nose. She was also curious if the faces had any meaning. He wouldn't just randomly draw on food, right?

As she sat in her seat some time later, in between Enid and her mom, she looked down on her plate. The taco resting there had a smiley face drawn on it. She was right in the sense that the emojis had a meaning. Smiley meant not that spicy and it went up the scale from there with the devil being spicy enough to affect even angels as proven by the fact that Uncle Amy confidently bit into one of those and was now chugging his second litre of milk to alleviate the burn. It didn't seem to be helping though. She looked down again and decided it was time to taste her own. Lifting it after putting a bit of cream cheese dip on the edge, she bit into the treat. And hummed in delight while kicking her feet enthusiastically.

It was perfect. She loved everything about the taste, even the fresh and crisp vegetables. It was spicy, savoury, sweet, and just a bit sour all at once and it played on her tongue in the best of ways. It felt as if the ingredients were playing hopscotch in her mouth and she wanted to play with them. Instead, she had to be content with tasting them. Not that that was a chore. It was delicious.

"That's so yummy!"

She felt the need to express her joy and enjoyment. It was funny how Lucifer preened and smiled smugly with half-lidded eyes. Especially when her mom nodded after taking a bite herself. She had one with a smirk on it so her's was spicier than Trixie's.

"Yeah, it's good. Way better than what we usually have when it's not just us two. Isn't that right, monkey?"

When it wasn't just them, daddy made the tacos. So she was saying that papa was better than daddy. And she was saying it in a way that only she would understand. When she looked at her, her mom seemed to be a bit startled before a complicated expression flitted over her face that Trixie didn't understand. Still, she was supposed to tell the truth, so she nodded. Daddy's tacos weren't bad, at least as far as she could remember. It had been so long that she had started to forget how they tasted. But she was certain Lucifer's tasted better.

"Mhm! Even the vegetables are good!"

She felt the need to comment. Because if they always tasted like this, she'd eat them more readily. Maybe her mom would understand the hint and invite Lucifer to cook? Suddenly, she noticed that someone was absent. More than one person even. Most of the hellhounds were here under the watchful eye of Cherona, but Maze was missing. As were Carrey and Riley. When she asked where they were, Lucifer smiled at her.

"Maze has a job to do. She said something about a small place named Brockton or something. I'm sure she'll be done soon, and you'll get to meet her again in a few days."

She nodded at that. Adults often had things to do. Most of the time it seemed to be work. When she'd be grown up, she'd change things. She'd make it so that daddies and mommies could spend all their time with their children. It was one of the reasons she wanted to be President of Mars. She noticed that most of the time it was easier starting something new instead of fixing something. So she'd start a new civilization on Mars and make her own rules. It was better and easier than arguing with old smelly people who didn't know anymore what it was like to be a child.

And once her new rules were set up, everyone would want to come to Mars to live there except for the old and smelly people. They could keep earth while all the others would be on Mars. It was the perfect plan. Of course it wouldn't be easy. But her mom told her that all worthwhile things were hard to achieve and that once you finally reached your goal, you'd feel a sense of fulfillment. Whatever that meant. It was probably a grown up thing. But since it came from her mom, it was true. She was the bestest person Trixie knew. Almost perfect really. Her only real fault was that she limited her access to chocolate cake. That too was something she'd change. The President of Mars was allowed unlimited amounts of chocolate cake. That rule alone would make competition fierce, but she'd prevail anyways. She had the Devil on her side after all.

When the tacos were eaten they decided on what to do with the rest of the evening. That was when Uncle Amy chimed in with resolve in his eyes. He wanted a rematch, so Monopoly it was. She immediately claimed the doggies for herself. They were the cutest figures so she had to have them. No one disputed her claim so she happily snuggled them to her chest. Her mom handed Lucifer Peter Pan with the words that they were similar enough since neither of them wanted to grow up. He countered by giving her the Sleeping Beauty figurine.

"Guess why I want you to have that one."

He told her with a smirk, and Trixie giggled when her mom blushed. She didn't understand why, but seeing her mom flustered was always fun since she was usually always in control. He then handed Azrael the Alice in Wonderland figure which earned him a half-hearted glare for reasons that were once again beyond Trixie's understanding. Enid was handed Snow White since she also charmed anyone she met. Uncle Amy ended up with Dumbo much to his dismay. Enid asked Cherona if she wanted to play but she just huffed out a disdainful sound. Enid had told her that she disliked both, pretending to be worse than she was, and hunting easy prey. So it seemed she'd rather not play if she'd win anyways.

Once everyone had their figure of choice, the game commenced. Trixie did well in the early phase of the game, but flunked out midways when she traded most of her properties for a second slice of the dessert her new papa made. Chocolate Caramel Tart. It was almost as good as the best chocolate cake she'd ever eaten. As she slowly savoured the treat, she watched as the financial slaughter continued. Watching the adults argue playfully and somehow lose against Enid was fun in its own way. Though she did send Uncle Amy a strange look when he broke down with tears in his eyes. He took this way too seriously. 'Maybe that's his secret? He's such a good singer because he puts 100% into everything he does. That means if I want to surpass him, I'll have to do the same!' Amenadiel unknowingly lit the flame of determination in Trixie.

As her bedtime came closer and closer, she felt apprehensive. She didn't want this evening to be over yet. Somehow, it transformed from another disappointment into one of the most fun experiences she ever had and if it was over, she'd have to go back to thinking why her daddy didn't want her around anymore. She really wanted to know what she'd done wrong so that she could fix it already...

"Now that our resident pigeon finally calmed down, I think it's time to end the evening. Enid, why don't you show Beatrice where she's going to sleep? You both have a free day tomorrow, so we'll allow you to stay up one hour longer than usual. Don't misuse this privilege for it can be revoked as quickly as it was given."

It took her a moment to understand but when she did, her head snapped towards her mom and she jumped up excitedly when she saw her smile and nod softly.

"Sleepover! Yay!"

She pulled Enid, who was just as excited as her, along for a silly victory dance that left them on the floor giggling before they scrambled to their feet and hurried to Enid's room. Once they were there, she hesitated a bit but still decided to risk it. The worst she could say was no.

"Uhm, Enid? Could... Could we maybe sleep together? I really like that safe feeling I get when you are close and maybe you can keep the bad thoughts and dreams away..."

For the second time this day, she decided to take a leap of Faith, and for the second time it paid off. With a confused frown, Enid answered.

"Of course we'll sleep together, silly. This is my first sleepover ever and I wouldn't have let you leave anyways. Well, except if you were uncomfortable with it. Then I'd have slept on the floor after getting Mally to sleep here. He's really cozy."

Why was it that every time she was insecure around them, they always said or did exactly what she needed to get over it? Trixie didn't know what to say in answer so she said nothing and hugged Enid instead. The gesture of affection was eagerly returned. The hug was shorter than she'd have liked since they both still had to wash up and cleant their teeth. Her favourite pajamas, the green ones with different aliens on it, were in the bathroom when she went, so she guessed that her mom put them there. Afterwards, they settled down in between the many plushies in the room.

"So. What did you think of your first Taco Tuesday?"

She asked Enid curiously. The girl was a bit silent throughout the evening and she often found her whispering with her aunt. From what she understood, they had only met today and they were just getting to know each other. Aunty Az as Enid called her was even more quiet. She barely said a word out loud and just seemed to observe. She kind of reminded her of that shy dog of their neighbours, Ruffian. He never barked and only lied there looking at people. And he immediately fled when someone tried to get close to him. She once asked them why that was and they told her that his previous owners were mean to him and that he had a hard time trusting others because of that. It made her sad for a long while. Her attention went back to Enid to hear her answer.

"It was fun! I think dad will make it a usual thing. I really loved the tacos. He put some extra meat into mine and it was sooo juicy..."

Trixie couldn't help but giggle when she saw her best friend drooling over tacos. The sound snapped Enid back to reality and she swiped the drool away with her sleeve as a self-conscious grin spread on her lips.

"Sorry about that. Ever since I've eaten dad's cooking I've been a bit food-oriented. He says it's normal since my body is trying to catch up and my metabolism is that of a werewolf. Ah, metabolism is the word for how your body changes food into energy. Some have a faster one and for some it's slower. Generally, kids burn through food faster than adults since we are still growing and it's even worse for werewolves."

Trixie always marveled at just how smart Enid was. She knew so many big words and she even knew when to use them. And she was really good at explaining.

"Now, we have a bit more than an hour left, wanna draw something? We need to practice drawing together to make sure all our stuff ends up in The Museum."

She needed something to calm down before they went to bed, otherwise she wouldn't be able to fall asleep. Drawing was perfect for that so they settled and did the same as last time, starting two pictures and changing the drawings around every couple of minutes. It was a fun challenge to stay in theme with what they got while also adding their own touch.

Later when she was cuddled up to Enid, she felt her eyelids droop. Sleep came surprisingly easy this night, ensconced in the warmth that was her best friend and now sister.

~Maze~

Summoning her Hell Flames in the form of a whip, she relished in the chance of finally inflicting some violence upon those hapless fools who thought themselves better than they were. A savage grin spread on her lips as she lashed out towards her targets. One moron tried to control her Fire with Pyrokinesis and paid the price for the attempt. She was forged in the bowels of Hell. Her affinity towards those Flames was higher than any other entity safe for those who held control over one of the Infernal Realms. And even she didn't control them. Not really. She merely suggested and the Flames deemed her worthy of responding most of the time.

One could imagine that they didn't take lightly to the attempt of someone's foolish audacity to try and impress their will upon them. She smiled viciously and her eyes glinted with malice when she heard the terrified screams of sweet agony. It served the fool just right and it caused an uneasy pause in the battle that she used to slightly reposition. She could shrug off the bullets they shot at her easily enough, but some of her prey was supernaturally gifted and bullets imbued with additional kinetic force or some other sort of occult effect could sting a bit. Not nearly enough to incapacitate her, but why take unnecessary risks?

She cut through the swathes of foes, causing confused terror among them as she used the shadows to attack from unlikely places, as did Carrey and Riley. She'd brought only those two today and would take the others on her next job. Idly, she wondered where this guy had found so many willing victims. Were they all mercs? If yes, that must have cost a pretty penny. Not that it mattered, really. She was just glad to have taken this mission after being fast tracked because she had a backer and was competent. That got her a meeting with the Boss Guy and surprisingly, she knew the fellow rather well. And wasn't that an interesting conversation?

~Flashback~

She didn't expect to get her license almost immediately. All she had to do was proving that she was capable of holding her own and having Bonehead Dave vouch for her. He was one of their stronger members apparently. A Gold Rank Hunter. When she heard that, she looked at him with a deadpan so potent that it nearly outperformed his own. He released an embarrassed chuckle and explained that one of their members made a joke that this was structured an awful lot like an Adventurer's Guild from anime or video games and their Boss was eccentric enough to go with it. Now, their pay grade and clearance for missions were indicated by those ranks.

After they tested her combat skills, where she finally got to let loose a bit, they quickly threw her into mithril rank after she terrified the crap out of them and called the Big Boss to have him sign off on it. That was how she got into this room with him. He was a rather thin man with full hair of ashen colour. His well dressed appearance coupled with a gentle expression on his attractive if aged face and his immaculate facial hair made sure that he looked the part of a distinguished and benign gentleman. The big surprise was that she knew him. And he knew her. Because they were fellow Archdemons. A vicious smirk spread on her lips as she crossed her arms in front of her chest. From the way he gulped with panic in his eyes once he recognised her, he wasn't here on Lucifer's command. He quickly sent everyone but Maze out of the room before facing her.

"Now, isn't this a welcome surprise? We thought you were just laying low after that attack on your forces by that vicious bastard Thorrgath, but instead I find you here. Now, please tell me... what's the official reason you took over an organisation like this, Mephistopheles?"

Mephistopheles. One of the oldest Archdemons still alive. Powerful, beguiling, eloquent, cunning, and slippery. He was a perfect example of what an Archdemon was supposed to be. Altogether, he was one of the more tolerable infernal creatures, if only because he had a brain and knew how to reason. She liked a good battle to the death as much as anyone, but it was tiresome to have none of her fellow demons capable of higher thought processes. Even those of the ascended variety were mostly morons who fell victim to their primary sins. Someone like him was a breath of fresh air. He was also far more dangerous than average demons, and not just because he was far more powerful. Luckily, he was loyal to their Lord. She didn't doubt that even for a moment. Still, she was curious about his reasons.

"Ah, you see... I have been the Director of this Guild for some decades now. I guess you can say that I commute between Hell and this little project of mine. It's the reason that brute Thorrgath managed to catch me off guard as he did. Not that something like that will ever happen again, but I digress. Back then, our Lord let slip that the amount of outcasts among those who descended into the pits was growing by a substantial amount. Originally, I simply went to investigate why that was. It started as a gambit to possibly please our Master you might say, but somehow, I got roped into this organisation. By now, I am somewhat... attached, you might say."

He looked embarrassed, and the emotion seemed genuine, but that didn't mean much. The man was a master of lying without lying. He was a masterful manipulator and often knew more about those interacting with him than they knew themselves. He was one of the most prominent reasons why demons were often said to have a silver tongue, even though most of them were morons. It didn't matter though. He was loyal, so she might as well use him as the resource he was.

"Well, since you're here already, get to work. Make yourself useful and find me a fun mission, will you? Are there any around that would let me blow off some steam? I could really use some violence right now."

~Flashback end~

And that was how she found herself in Brockton. A town that was taken over by a surprisingly slippery fellow who called himself Coil. It was suspected that he was a snake themed outcast with minor precognitive abilities that allowed him to lead an organisation of mercs. He started out semi-legitimate but quickly slipped towards crime. Still, he was a minor nuisance compared to some other fellows out there so the authorities only paid him some token amount of attention. Until he escalated. Suddenly, he made big moves and succeeded in outplaying his opponents, be they the authorities or other criminal elements.

What made both of them a bit wary was the fact that his sudden rise in competence and decisiveness coincided with the assumed abduction of the mayor's niece. The eleven years old girl, Dinah Alcott, was the mayor's ward since her parents died in a car crash two years ago. The authorities thought at first that the mayor was being blackmailed into feeding Coil information, but that was soon disproven. Mephistopheles had a hunch that the abduction and Coil's sudden aggression and rise in effectiveness were connected and she agreed. Which made it all the more important to hurry.

The smile slipped from her face as she grew serious. Her earned Wings flared behind her back. Not every common demon had a pair of those. They showed off her status as an ascended Demoness and in her humble opinion, her's were badass. They were also quite useful for moving and, as could be seen by the fact that most of the enemy lineup was terrified and broke ranks while shooting at her when she showed her bullet proof self with her true face and the enormous bat-like Wings, intimidation. They looked battle-worn and rotten thanks to her heritage and she loved the aesthetic. Apparently, she wasn't alone with that opinion.

"Please step on me, Zombie Demon Mommy."

It took her a moment to register the words and when she did, she stopped for some seconds to look oddly at the man who was sitting there, leaning against the wall with a clearly broken ankle. He was staring at her and there was something akin to admiration in his gaze. Lust too, and to her demonic form no less. With a light smirk, she thought to herself. 'Well, might as well indulge him if he'll die anyways.'

She stalked up to him and slammed her foot clad in combat boots into his sternum, driving the air out of his lungs. Beneath the pressure she put on his chest, he took a small breath and said.

"Worth it. Thank you, Zombie Demon Mommy..."

That guy was amusing. 'Hmm... He's not bad looking and it's been a while... Ah, what the heck.' with deft fingers, she pulled out one of the business cards she'd gotten from her boss to dispense at her discretion. She leaned closer and smirked.

"Well, what do you know. There are still guys with a real set of balls around. Tell you what, brave boy. You make it out of here alive and let my boss hire you, and I'll give you the night of your life. How you'll make that happen, I don't care. Now be a good boy and try to leave because Mommy still has some unfinished business here."

He nodded softly and she patted his cheek before moving on. Once again, she acknowledged that there were all kinds of people and that fetishes were apparently unlimited. Her seemingly half rotten face was on full display and she spread an active aura of terror all around and it made a guy with a broken ankle horny instead of sending him crawling away from her in boundless terror. She almost chuckled at the incredulity of it all, but focused instead. Her senses were telling her that she was close and she really didn't like what she was smelling. There was a snake of course, but that seemed rather on the nose. What worried her enough to actually use her Wings to give her a speed boost was the smell of a young girl. There was sickness and addiction woven deeply into the scent, as well as something unnervingly familiar.

A horrifying suspicion rose up in her mind and she hoped dearly she was wrong. Without care for the scrambling morons, she broke through walls to shorten the distance and soon reached the deepest parts of the underground lair. On the way, she had to use her Hellfire on some strange, regenerating creature that was eating people. She had the upper body of a young girl but the lower part was fucked up beyond belief. A horrifying mass of flesh with all kinds of body parts growing from it. When some started to wiggle out of the mass to form a body, she kinda noped and nuked her until she stayed down. Her last words were a thank you with tears flowing from her eyes and a serene smile spreading on her parched lips, so she probably wasn't here out of her free will either. Putting that out of her mind for the moment, she burned away the last door and instantly heard a man's voice shouting, though it quickly transitioned into a softer tone.

"Tell me how I'll get out of this alive! If you don't, I won't be able to give you candy anymore, my dear pet. You don't want that to happen, do you? If you answer my question, I promise I'll double the next dose."

He tried coaxing her. There was a beat of silence for a moment and she used it to step around the corner, just to take in an absolutely abhorrent picture. A man in a full bodysuit, complete with face mask, was accosting a young emaciated girl who was bound to a chair that wouldn't have been put of place in a crazy scientist's lab. There were several tubes leading into her, slowly transporting glowing liquids into her body. She was bleeding from her eyes and her posture was exhausted and defeated, though there seemed to be some defiance left in her. Slowly, the girl looked up at the man and smiled so viciously that Maze couldn't help but be impressed. With more potent hate than she'd ever heard in a human's voice before, she told him.

"97.371% chance that she'll kill you."

Before she spat a thick globule of blood into his masked visage and laughed scornfully in the face of his anger. The wordless scream of fury that echoed through the room was music in the girl's ears if the self-satisfied smirk on her gaunt and tired face was anything to go by. He moved to strike her, but before he could, his shadow lurched and Carrey ripped free from it to latch onto his arm. The pained shout was cut off abruptly when her knife penetrated the back of his head. She felt something that tried to latch on. To change this outcome. But this wasn't the first time she hunted a being with such abilities, so she shrugged off the attempt and he died ingloriously as he should.

Her full attention turned to the girl and she hurried over. Her eyes were broken, but there was satisfaction to be found in them. As if she'd made peace with everything and was glad the nightmare was over. Her last act of defiance seemed to have cost her everything though. She was fading and quickly. Despite the feeling of Wrongness she got from the girl who presumably was Dinah Alcott, she still softly placed her hands on top of hers as she knelt in front of her. Somewhat desperately, she told her.

"Come on, kiddo. Don't give up. I'm sure my boss can fix you up. I'll just-..."

The girl smiled tiredly and looked her directly in the eyes for the first time since she'd got here. Rarely had she seen a gaze so profoundly splintered before. Those eyes weren't just broken. They were shattered.

"72.391% chance that not even the Devil can help me..."

She giggled maniacally for a moment before slumping down in her chair. Maze was panicking but kept her mind on the task. She couldn't risk Lucifer not picking up his phone. He forgot it rather often since he wasn't used to it yet. She needed a more direct line. A crazy idea took form in her mind. He was her Liege and they had a connection. Usually it was simply a Bond to show that she was completely his to command, but... Thinking quickly, she hijacked the connection and did for the first time what no demon ever contemplated. She prayed.

'Lucifer! Get your arse over here right the fuck now! She's dying and I don't know how to help!'

Chapter Text

~Lucifer~

He was just having a delightful chat with the Detective when suddenly, Maze's Infernalis ground up against his Grace in the most agonising way possible. The sudden skull-splitting headache elicited a pained groan as he lurched forward and pressed the palms of his hands against his eyes. Red angry flashes sparked past his closed eyes as he distantly realised that she used the faint connection they had to force a prayer on him. He managed just in time to refrain from lashing out lethally. If he felt like this, it must have been far worse for her. The pain was nearly intense enough to make him miss the words she screamed into his head.

'Lucifer! Get your arse over here right the fuck now! She's dying and I don't know how to help!'

The message was worrying and the desperation and agony in her voice even more so. He pulled himself together and suppressed the pain to manageable levels even as his mind felt raw and frayed. He noticed a wet sensation beneath his left nostril and just knew that he was bleeding from the orifice. 'At least it's not a more important one.' He thought sardonically as he righted his posture as well as he could, and looked into the worried orbs of the Detective. Before she could demand an explanation and delay him even further, he raised his hand softly and halted her words.

"Maze is in trouble. I'll explain later. I'll trust you to hold down the fort?"

She searched for something in his eyes and apparently found what she was looking for since she nodded wordlessly. He smiled a slightly pained smile and summoned his Wings as he stood to shift. The searing pain made concentrating a challenge and he needed three embarrassing attempts until he was certain enough that the dimensional stream he dipped into would take him towards Maze. Decisively, he entered and found navigating the currents about as hard as he did back when he started out. Nevertheless, he managed to steer himself well enough and left the stream when it felt appropriate. Only to face plant into a concrete floor with enough force to crack it.

Instantly, he felt the Wrongness. Even as he pushed himself up to survey the surroundings, he was wary and on the edge. The first thing he noticed was Maze and that was because she released a wet groan that had him faintly worried. Her ill-fated attempt at praying took her down rather effectively. She was incapacitated, with steaming blood dripping from her ears, eyes, and nostrils. She basically pitted her own Infernalis against his Grace in a desperate attempt to contact him, which went about as well for her as expected. She would survive however and he felt the faint stirrings of pride at the fact. Not just any Demon could survive such an attempt.

The next thing he noticed was a feeling of familiarity. Of Belonging. It was absolutely nonsensical, but then he looked around and found something he couldn't even have conjured in his worst nightmares. The other person, besides the murdered guy in a onesie that left nothing up to imagination much to his disgust, was a young girl of maybe ten years. Though she might have been slightly older than that given her emaciated state. Her brown hair was stringy from sweat and dirt and she was clad in a threadbare dress that might have been white once upon a time. Her feet were bare and just as boney as the rest of her.

All of that would have already been a picture readymade to incite his wrath, but what truly horrified him was what his other senses were telling him. All angels were capable of perceiving Souls, though most did not hone the ability and could only see the most obvious things about it. As the Lord of Hell, he was well versed in that particular part of his heritage, though. He could peer far deeper into it if he so wanted. Not to the degree of what Azrael was capable of, but she and Gabriel were the only ones to best him in that regard while Raphael was likely capable of matching him.

So he was struck with mortified silence when he saw the gut wrenching mess this girl's Soul had become. It was ripped wide open by unknown means and it had nearly splintered completely with its edges jagged and dangerously pointing outwards. Despite the state it was in, it was still clear and pure with only some hints of shadows here and there. The Soul of a rather innocent child who had survived some hardships and had not lost her goodwill over it. All of that already culminated into a mess of epic proportions. But what made him feel true horror was the sheer violation done to him. Because in the middle of her Soul was something else. It was Light. His Light. Nestled into her for one purpose only. To illuminate the future in front of her gaze.

Only one person was capable of doing such a thing. Of bonding Divinity so absolutely to a mortal Soul. The first Divine Entity. The Almighty. His very own Father had taken a splinter of his Light and violated an unborn Soul. He implanted a shard of Divinity into an innocent creature with the sole purpose of creating an Oracle. A fucking Oracle! A being Cursed to perceive the future in its unending variations with a mind utterly unprepared for the strain! It wasn't without reason that most known Oracles and even some Prophets were thought to have been insane. They were, but for no reason of their own making. Human minds were simply not built for such a strain and had a habit of breaking beneath it.

It was a practice he had hoped had been abolished after not seeing any true ones popping up for some millennia. Oh, he never did so without reason. Whether it was spreading his Word through them or because he saw a major catastrophic event in the near future, he always had a justification. Sacrificing the sanity of one to save many others, one of which would play an important role in his Grand Plan that only he knew. For Lucifer, such a thing always left the aftertaste of bitter ash in his mouth. He abhorred the practice and would always go out of his way to subtly help and protect them whenever he found them.

This time was far worse. Because, indirectly or not, he had a hand in the creation of this poor girl's Fate. Determination flooded him as it rarely did before even as guilt and Fury consumed his very being. He controlled himself tightly to not lash out this instant. He had half a mind to storm the Pearly Gates and drag his Father in front of the girl to kneel and beg for forgiveness. He didn't just create an Oracle. He left her to fend for herself, unprotected. She ended up in the worst of hands if he read the situation correctly and the mere thought of what she must have gone through to leave her in such a state ignited his inner Wrath in ways he hadn't experienced in Millennia. His Infernal Gaze turned to the pitiful vermin already dead at his feet. He would have liked to show him what he did with those who abused children before sending him on. Luckily, he wasn't limited to this Plane. 'It is time for a visit anyways...'

That did not have priority at this moment however. As he knelt down besides her prone form, he used his wounded Grace with barely any regard for himself. He would pay for this he knew, but he didn't rightly care at this moment. Stimulating the Light in her to Heal instead of See wasn't much of a challenge. Who else but him was as intimately familiar with this Divinity, as misused as it was? He thanked all his creations for Enid and her influence. Only because of her was he truly in sync with his Grace. There was no way he could have pulled this off if he didn't get some practice in in the past few weeks.

What he did helped to prolong her life, but it wasn't enough to save her. Not even close. It only slowed the speed at which she was fading. He was thinking furiously of a possible solution while gritting his teeth. It burned. It truly did, and he wanted nothing more than to stop. Instead, he growled bestially as he increased the flow. That was when Maze's renewed groan took part of his attention.

"Devil... Unable... 72%..."

She pressed out before finally losing the battle against unconsciousness. He had a 72% chance of failing, it seemed. That was unacceptable. He would save her. A moment of inspiration struck him. Because, whoever said he had to do it alone? With a desperate cry, he split a thread off his mind and sent it towards his closest Brother.

Amenadiel! I need your sorry arse to help me save an Innocent!

He then flared his Grace as much as he dared before letting it die down to a trickle. He had offered the girl plenty of reserves and after he turned his Light in her Soul towards more productive ventures, it worked autonomously. Not a second later, his Brother flashed into the room and hurriedly ran over with a rather panicked expression on his face.

"What the fuck, Lucy? What happened?!"

He didn't answer the question and judging by the seriousness that entered his older brother's gaze, he didn't need to.

"This is beyond me, brother. I cannot fathom what happened to her to leave her so mangled, but I fear she is beyond saving."

Lucifer restrained his impulse to snarl at him, and pressed out between grit teeth.

"Time. I need time."

Amenadiel's eyes widened in realisation and he immediately went to work, thankfully. The localised time bubble slowed her fading down to a crawl but it didn't stop it, not that he expected it to. It was a testament of his own condition that he needed to actively resist Amenadiel's influence, which he noticed if his worried glance was anything to go by. He didn't comment on it however, and Lucifer was grateful since he needed all the capacity of his frayed mind for what was to come.

"Make sure to keep everyone out. I need to concentrate. And please do pay attention and cooperate with me. Your control over time will be vital to save her life. Now shush. I need to concentrate."

~???~

He watched on with interest as The Lightbringer risked permanent injury to his Grace for the slightest chance to save His project's life. He wasn't even supposed to have that sliver of an opportunity. In the unending futures He had perceived, there wasn't even a one in which he was in tune enough with his Grace to even attempt what he was doing right now. Him being present at the scene was already an exceedingly rare occurrence. His Gaze swerved just slightly towards the little Fateless Creature that had attached itself to the one He once called His Favourite Son.

When those were involved, things always became somewhat tricky to deal with. The little thing did not even have an inkling just how much she had changed His Son. It was certainly a curious case to observe. Day by day, his connection to his original nature grew, only to be counterbalanced by the influence of the Realm that had chosen to fall under his control. As he was right now, he was almost Nephalem in nature, though an as of yet unseen kind. It was fascinating. He was always the one among His children with the highest potential to reach the True Divine, though in the rare few futures where he managed to grow to such a level of power, it was through his self-grown Infernalis alone. Fed by the Sins he finally gave himself to since nothing was left to anchor him to his Virtues. It was a sad Fate that He didn't like to see for His Son.

This was a different path. One as of yet completely untrodden. As such, traversing it was fraught with danger, but also opportunities. Since a Fateless Being was involved, even He couldn't fathom the outcome. He wouldn't interfere however. In truth, He rarely ever did. But keeping some of His attention pointed towards what was happening? That, He could and would do. Hearing the internal curses in His name for the injustice He had let befall onto His project, He felt His heart soften just slightly. Compassion was always His Son's greatest Virtue and at the same time his largest weakness.

Suddenly, a prayer reached Him. That in and of itself wasn't all that strange. He was the primary Deity in this cluster of universes after all. Receiving prayers from all over the planet was part of the course given his status. The content however was enough to make Him release a sound he hadn't made in millennia. He chuckled.

Dear gramps. My name is Enid. Enid Morningstar. I'm your adopted granddaughter and you were mean to my daddy and didn't even apologize. That's just not ok. I hope you stub your little toe and step on Lego. Have a not-so-nice evening.

This Fateless one was interesting to say the least. He got a similarly worded prayer from the Miracle's Legacy too, which made him to shake his head in amusement, causing his flowing beard to sway slightly. Children had a habit of being unintentionally audacious in their prayers, and most of the time, He ignored it. They had yet to learn to pay respect to their elders and betters. But those two had intentionally sent him ill wishes. 'Hmm. What to do?' It wasn't really worthy of punishment, but He was in a rare mischievous mood, so he decreed bad hair days for them. Nothing would tame their manes for a week to come.

That would show them to mess with The Almighty. His full attention turned back to the scene where the life of His Project was hanging by a thread. Amenadiel had joined up and was now using his considerable influence on the temporal forces to stall its decay. He had to admit that while this experiment was derailed quite early in, He received a fair bit of valuable data from it. The body was planned to be little more than a gestation chamber for the Light He extracted from His wounds after the Rebellion. It was fated to be stillborn after all.

He wanted to try and refine it into something usable. A resource to craft either a weapon or an appliance to somehow reclaim the usurped part of his Divinity. As was always the case when His most rebellious Son was involved, things quickly became... chaotic. What was supposed to be a soulless husk, only existing to nourish the Light, developed a life of its own. The Light somehow stimulated the creation of a Soul. He still wasn't entirely sure how that happened. It was something previously completely unheard of. The project developed a personality somewhat akin to Samael and the Light grew with its Soul, far faster than He had anticipated. Whatever it was that was happening tickled His curiosity, but the circumstances fell as such that He wasn't allowed to interfere anymore. Because now, with a fully intact Soul, it counted as an individual instead of an object.

He watched it grow into a cheerful if somewhat shy girl that had the inner shine and charisma He remembered from His Son before their family sundered. He watched it wallow in grief after its parents suffered a sudden and untimely death. He noticed the cold indifference that its new guardian held for it, simply taking it in because it was what society expected from him. He observed as it developed one of the abilities He had been hoping to study. It was inferior to His near-omniescence, but it was such an interesting offshoot of the Light, causing its value in His eyes to increase even further. I>He wanted to thoroughly study it but He would only be able to so once its life ended.

He was nothing if not patient however. So He waited. Things involving Samael in any capacity had a habit of completely lacking any kind of common sense so once again, any plans made detailed thoroughly. He watched as tragedy struck his battered experiment yet again. An outcast who was born with the strange ability to live two parallel lives for a limited amount of time, became aware of its newfound and unwanted capabilities. He quickly captured it and began trying to indoctrinate it with drugs and suggestions.

When general drugs showed little to no effect on it, he turned to more obscure choices. Soulrending concoctions that were created by dark Magicks to break the will of its recipients. To make them slaves trapped in their own minds. Truly, some of the worst humanity had to offer. A fair few of those even worked on weaker creatures of Celestial origins. And some were true dangers to the divine, created from remnants of creatures that once invaded this cluster of worlds. Abominations against nature that created war and strife on a whim, just to further their own agendas. Oh, how He loathed them. The Outer Wars were still fresh in His memory.

Luckily, the outcast had no access to materials of such a grade and had to fall back to mortal sorcery. Even this was enough to cause far more damage than He had expected. Mortals were nothing if not creative. Especially if it came to causing pain and suffering. And while the Light stayed untouched as it was of Divine Origins, its Soul was only tangentially associated. It was more robust and its integrity stayed intact far longer than it should have, but eventually, it cracked. It splintered and broke apart. Still, the experiment was defiant and continued to feed its captor just slightly wrong information until the chance to end his life was in range.

It then manipulated the outcome magnificently and refused to help in any way to plan against Mazikeen, the Mistress of Hounds. This predictably caused the outcast's demise. His distaste for the company His Son kept aside, He acknowledged that she was a formidable warrior. For her level of power, that was. The true surprises started afterwards. Not only did she manage to pray to an Archangel without spontaneously combusting, no, she even managed to survive with comparably minor repercussions. That should not have been possible. He should really just accept that the impossible wasn't a binding condition for His Son and move on.

Samael's mistake of confusing the experiment for an intentionally created Oracle was an understandable one and it didn't really change anything since He wasn't against the development of such an ability at all. Rather, it was a joy to find a productive way to use those leftover shavings He still had available from His Son's Light. Those thoughts were in the back of His mind however. Far more interesting things were happening. For example, right now He was watching the most selfless deed His Son ever performed. Even more so than The Rebellion. Oh, He could acknowledge that He overreacted just a tad. But honestly, if He allowed for such disobedience once, who was to say that it wouldn't happen again? And He made amends in the form of the Miracle. They got along splendidly and soon, the truth would be revealed and His Son would return to his rightful place in Silver City. He just needed to let him know that he had forgiven him for his insurrection.

As for the Fateless Being's claim that He needed to apologize? He would do no such thing. Punishments were necessary to discipline unruly children after all. This was barely more than a timeout, really. Whyever would He apologise for something like this? Maybe it was time to re-establish contact through His most loyal son? He had planned for the two of them to stoke their brotherly rivalry by pitting them against each other but He had underestimated the seriousness with which Samael would respond to a threat against his presence by the Fateless one's side. As such, Amenadiel received a glimpse of the Samael He faced. He realised the truth of the matter and became almost deferential in response. It was strange to see such a thing from the son who was closest to falling from Grace because of his Pride.

'Ah, they are almost done...' He noted. It seemed to be an exercise of futility. While Samael had managed to almost flawlessly recreate the shattered Soul, which was an impressive feat in and of itself since it was rather hopelessly fractured in the worst of ways, it still wasn't healed at all. What he had done was like putting a shattered vase together. The integrity was forever lost. Even if one were to glue the pieces together it would never be entirely whole again. And there was no glue to hold the shards of a Soul together. With interest, He watched as His son seemed to struggle with himself for a moment before his shoulders set in that specific way when he was about to do something foolhardy.

When He realised what His son was doing, His mouth fell open in shock. 'Has he lost his mind?! Those two sources of energy don't mix... Wait. Why is it working?! What...!' His thoughts ground to a stop when He saw the infernal energies blend seamlessly into the Light. Flames of such heat that they would sear even Him, should He ever be caught off guard, flowed into the Light and fed into its natural abilities. Together, those two sources began to seal the gaps that allowed the life to flow out of the experiment's Soul. It would forever be changed.

Where before, the Light was nestled into the Soul, but existed altogether separate, now it began to completely integrate since His Son had gifted her a part of himself. And along with it, some of the Flames of Hell were sealed too. His deeds weren't without repercussions. What he had done would weaken him for months to come. As for permanent side effects? It seemed he was collecting children. His experiment was now as good as his daughter in full. And It wasn't just that. By saving her the way he did, Samael had casually created a new race. A chimaeric existence that fused the traits of infernals, angels, and humanity. His Son had proven to be as unpredictable as ever by doing the impossible yet again. He created a True Miracle. A deed reserved for Gods of Creation.

'This makes absolutely no sense! Why is this happening! There is simply no way to combine Infernalis with Grace! They can work in tandem as Samael did prove already, but the energies are anathema in nature! They can never synchronise!' His mind failed to compute what was happening until He noticed a minuscule flicker of something else. A Grace He had never seen before, acting as catalyst between conflicting energies. A seed of something novel, something that shouldn't exist. An aberration that failed to conform to any rules. All of His attention turned to the Fateless one. He penetrated her entire existence with His All Seeing Eyes, and He found what He was looking for. Gestating in her Soul, there was a hint of Grace akin to that of a fledgling. One He had not created Himself. And It spoke of Acceptance and integration.

'Just what are you?...'

This baffled thought filled His mind, and it would stay there for a long time to come, resurfacing every time He laid His eyes upon her.

~Enid~

She woke up late at night with a strange feeling. Worried, she extricated herself from Trixie's arms and put a giant penguin there for her to cuddle. Her new sister liked the silly birds who looked as if someone had put them in a suit because their waddling was so cute. Now wasn't the time to think of cute birds however. Instead, it was time for action. She sneaked out of her room and down into the living room, where soon some people materialised. Under her worried eyes Uncle Amy helped Daddy, who was leaning against him heavily, on the couch. He sat down and she noticed that he was carrying a bundle. A person shaped bundle. A small person shaped bundle.

Her curiosity gave once more way for a spike of worry when she heard Maze groan from her position on the other side of Uncle Amy. The woman who she'd only seen strong and standing tall while exuding a sense of danger more pronounced than even her former mother at full moon was now being held up as it was clear she wouldn't be capable of standing on her own. A sense of weakness she hoped to never see again in one of her role models surrounded her, and she felt tears pricking her eyes. Abandoning her spying position, she darted into the room.

Maze's groan had woken up Chloe who was immediately alert once she realised who had arrived, but that wasn't important. What was however was the fact that her daddy looked as if he needed a hug. Maze and Uncle Amy too, but her arms weren't long enough to give all of them a hug at the same time so she needed to prioritise. With purposeful and quick steps, she rounded the small table and carefully nestled herself into her dad's form. He stiffened a bit but immediately relaxed when he noticed it was her.

"You should be long asleep, my Dearest Hellspawn. I have no desire to show such weakness in front of you."

His voice was soft and even though he tried to hide it, there was a hint of pain in it. She increased the pressure of her hug slightly. Instinctively, she knew not to use too much strength since he was hurt. Not his body, she realised, but something else. Something even more important. She wished she could help him heal as he had done with her but she wasn't able to do that so she had to be content with simply offering her services as his pocket heater. Aunty Az said it was relaxing to hold her because of her high base temperature so she concentrated on fulfilling that purpose while telling him.

"You are the best dad in the whole wide world. Doesn't matter that you are weak right now. That won't change who you are or how I think about you. Same with Maze. She's still my aunty who throws knives at me."

A soft chuckle that rumbled through his chest as he draped his free arm around her. It didn't matter that he seemed weak right now. She still felt safe and protected in his embrace. She just wished she could somehow give back that feeling. She too wanted to be the one he felt safe with. 'I need to become stronger. To protect the Pack when they can't do it themselves.' The worry gnawing at her insides gave way to a firm determination. 'Daddy. Aunty Maze. Uncle Amy. Aunty Az. Trixie. Chloe. The Overworld Pack. I have so many people important to me now. All of them are part of my Pack. And as the Alpha's daughter, I have to protect what's mine.'

Having come to that decision, a knot inside of her unravelled and she relaxed a bit. Her curious eyes turned to the shock of stringy and filthy brown hair that peaked from the jacket her daddy had draped over whoever that was. Before she could ask a question, Chloe finally decided to chime in.

"Not that I can't appreciate you being a good father, Lucifer, but I'd really like to know what happened."

There were some emotions in her voice but Chloe had herself well under control and kept their influence faint, causing Enid to fail in identifying them. She did know the woman was worried about her dad though, and that was already enough. She snuggled closer and listened in as he explained.

They saved a little girl and she was hurt badly so he needed to overuse his Grace to make sure she survived. The bad man who had kidnapped her was put in a permanent time-out by Maze. Chloe twitched but stayed silent. She knew what it meant, and Enid did too. She trusted her aunty and her judgment though. If she thought it was necessary, she wouldn't give her a hard time over it. Especially since the bad man hurt someone so badly. Tentatively, she reached out and softly took the hand that had fallen down into her dad's lap. She smiled when the girl whose name she didn't know yet instinctively squeezed hers.

'A new sis... Someone else I need to protect.' No one noticed her eyes flashing amber for just a moment. She realised that the conversation began to stilt and her dad looked down at the girl bundled into his suit jacket with a thoughtful frown. It seemed that he was troubled and she could guess why. He mentioned that she wouldn't wake up until the next morning, and even that wasn't certain.

"Chloe and I can clean her up. We'll put her into some nice pajamas and then we'll place her in between me and Trixie. She went through bad times so she deserves all the cuddles. Waking up clean, warm, and loved will be great for her. I promise!"

She gave him her best smile. It was a toothy thing that made her canines stand out. His frown melted away into a smile that showed the exhaustion he kept from his face up until now. Without turning his soft eyes away from her, he asked.

"Are you alright with that arrangement, Detective? I fear I already imposed far too much on your resting time."

She shook her head with a slight smile that Enid spied with a single eye, still cuddled up against her daddy.

"Not at all. The poor girl deserves the attention and I'm a cop, you know? We have stakeouts all the time and I'm used to working through the night. This much is nothing for me. Tomorrow, I'll call in and we'll put together what happened. Maybe Maze will be coherent by then."

Lucifer nodded thankfully, finally looking over to her. The fact that Enid could feel just how exhausted he was in the frame of his body while hugging him was saying a lot. She wanted them to hurry so that he could rest, but not just because of that. The girl's smell was becoming a bit much to ignore. She knew she wasn't at fault but that didn't change that her enhanced senses picked up on things she'd rather not have known. She felt for her. She truly did. Now that Enid was part of a family that cared for and loved her, she realised that her birth family wasn't a nice one. But from what she had picked up from her new sister, she had it way worse. And as the first sibling to be officially brought into the family, it was Enid's duty to make sure the girl felt as loved as she did. It would be really hard to do since she felt loved to the max, but she was up for the challenge. She'd outlove her daddy! Well, that was maybe a bit too much, but she'd match him at least.

And the first step to make sure of that was to bring her comfort. Once she was clean, warm, and cuddled, they could start working towards familial bliss. Since those two silly adults continued to make googly eyes at each other, she took matters into her own hands. Literally. Jumping off his lap, she quickly dashed to give both, Maze and Uncle Amy a short hug before she gently stole away the girl while being careful not to jostle her too much. Once she had acquired the package, she hurried to the closest bathroom. Her werewolf heritage came in handy in moments like this. Chloe followed after a short laugh. Enid could tell she was still worried, but she tried to trust her dad. A good decision generally, but when it came to his own health, she'd need to learn to be a bit more pushy. As her future mom, she needed to know how to put him into his place for his and her own good. For now, a bit of sleep would be enough for him, so it was alright.

They quickly cleaned up the girl and put her into one of her new comfy pajamas. She wanted to use her most colourful one to cheer her up in the morning but Chloe said she didn't need blindness on top of everything else. Which was, like, so rude. She tried glaring at her but it came out as a pout and made her pat her head, which she enjoyed but tried to not let her know. It didn't work out since her foot betrayed her by rhythmically tapping the floor. Enid was as always entitely incapable of holding a grudge and had forgotten all about it by the time they reached the bed where Trixie had somehow managed to maneuver herself on top of the penguin.

"Let's put her in the middle."

Enid decided. She would need the warmth and safety. She needed to know beyond a doubt that the nightmare was over as soon as she woke up. And Enid would make sure of that. She'd protect her. This damaged girl her dad had brought home. Because he did the same to her, and she wanted to be the pillar he showed her how to be.

~Dinah Alcott~

Her consciousness was returning and she tensed in preparation for the usual onslaught of despair. For the self-destructive cravings that were implanted into her by Coil and the agony that came from denying them, punishing her for her defiance. For the bone deep weariness that nibbled away on her sanity, burrowing deeper every day. Severe confusion struck her when none of the usual companions in her misery showed their ugly heads. Instead, she felt incredibly comfy. Her body, broken down from the substances the snake man pumped into her on a daily basis, felt whole instead of the decrepit mess it had become. She couldn't even feel the sting of the infusion needles that lead into her body to make sure she didn't die of dehydration and lack of nutrients. Neither could she feel the caustic burn of the addictive chemicals he used in the attempt to break her spirit.

That wasn't all however. For the first time in weeks, she felt clean. Her body wasn't itching from the grime and bodily excretions that her captor left her to wallow in with the treacherous promises to allow all those amenities if she just gave in. Instead, warmth had seeped into the deepest parts of her, and it was the best feeling she'd had ever since her parents died. All of this did nothing to calm her down. Instead, it had the opposite effect.

Her anxiety peaked into something akin to a panic attack as other sensations began to filter in. Horrifying scenarios of what might happen to her now that he decided to take another approach began to assault her mind. Then everything stopped as a protective growl echoed through her mind and her body was pulled protectively to the left by what she'd originally thought to be restraints. Stilted from leftover grogginess and the vestiges of panic, the memories she had from before losing her consciousness began to rise from the depths of her brain. They were sordid and somewhat disorienting to say the least. She was ready to die. No, that wasn't quite severe enough to describe her metal state. She had craved the release of death. As long as she could have taken Coil with her, she'd have been happy. That vicious glee when she realised that his demise was all but certain would forever be a guilty pleasure for her. She had given up and wanted nothing but empty oblivion to finally take her after she ascertained her revenge. That did not happen. Instead, she was alive and suspiciously well, though she still felt weak. But... How and why? What happened? As always, scenarios of alternative realities began to assault her mind, and were pruned away subconsciously by her Curse until those few closest to her own were left over.

[97.412% chance that The Lightbringer saved you.]

'Right... That's another name for the Devil. Did my last prediction hurt his pride and he decided to prove me wrong or something? And why am I warm and comfy, then instead of suffering from eternal damnation for my suicide attempt by proxy?'

[99.666% chance that Lucifer Morningstar's daughter will adopt you as her sister.]

'...What?'

[99.666%...]

She pushed away the repeated input of the thing she loathed more than anything else in her life while ignoring the fact that this was the highest percentage she'd ever gotten for anything. This cursed ability ruined everything. The first time it appeared was when it told her that her parents would die, only for them to not believe her and drive to that charity event anyways. Despite the absolute certainty that the numbers didn't lie, she hoped beyond hope that she'd see them again. That she was merely losing her mind instead of her parents.

Of course, life didn't work that way. It didn't pander to the wishes of prepubescent girls. She felt like Cassandra, cursed with seeing the truth only to not be believed. She condemned this newfound ability with everything she had and as if to mock her, it grew instead of shrivelling up and dying. It started with glimpses of potential futures along with the probability of it happening. Soon, some of the present and the past were included, and any random question began triggering this maddening malediction. She began seeing the highest chances for almost any occurrence in her life and felt like her mind was bursting most of the time. Even before Coil, she had moments in which she contemplated ending her suffering by killing herself.

She banished those depressing thoughts before they could lead into the true pits of despair she suffered through, though she was tempted to allow the deranged giggle to rise up her throat. While it seemed only appropriate for the situation, she didn't quite want to give herself over to insanity just yet. Instead, she opened her eyes carefully. A foreign ceiling greeted her vision. She felt two sets of what she had perceived as restraints. Instead, they seemed to be thin arms wound around her and she warily looked down, just to follow the first set of appendages to a blonde girl with orange highlights and a terrible case of bed hair. She was sleeping there with a peaceful expression on her partly obscured face while snoring very softly. It was an almost inaudible sound that somehow calmed her nerves down quite a bit. On the other side of her, the owner of the other set was present. A darker themed girl, she was. Her hair was of a very dark brown, almost black and just as chaotic as the other one's. Her complexion reminded Dinah of Carlos, the gardener who cared for the roses of her aunt. Oh, and she was awake and watching her curiously.

"Who are you?"

She whispered. It was clear that she didn't want to wake the other girl. She could have asked the same, really.

[91.424% chance that this girl's identity will be revealed as Beatrice Espinoza-Decker.]

That helped... Not. Still, she knew next to nothing about her situation besides the confusing flashes blitzing through her mind, and she didn't want to rely on the reason for all her suffering at all. So she took a leap and decided to communicate with the girl who was still embracing her. Just as softly as she was asked, she answered and followed up with a question of her own.

"I'm Dinah. And you?"

[91.424% cha...-]

The flash of irritation that she felt must have shown on her face as she whispered back just as silently because the girl's brows furrowed for a moment before smoothing out.

"I'm Trixie and I'm Enid's sister. Well, not really but kinda. She told me she'd share her dad with me after I wished for it upon a shooting star."

She shrugged in a 'What can you do?' manner, which looked a bit strange as she was still hugging her, and she didn't seem to plan on letting go. She ignored the nonsense the girl spouted for now. She had too much to deal with already, and didn't want to accidentally trigger her ability again and risk migraines. Though, now that she thought about it, she didn't feel the usual sting behind her eyes quite as badly when uncountable parallel timelines flowed through her head without rhyme and reason only to be pruned by her ability until a valid answer presented itself. Early on she almost blacked out in the untamed storm of information that filtered into her subconscious, but slowly she had adapted a bit, though not by choice.

Usually, she'd have the onsets of a headache already after having three or four questions answered. That didn't seem to be the case anymore and she wondered why. Her Curse kept suspiciously silent on that matter. Her thoughts were interrupted by noises of slight discontent that drew both of their attention. The blonde girl was shifting slightly and grumbling.

"Shut up and let me cuddle you..."

Before pulling them closer. She was clearly still sleeping but she was surprisingly precise in her motions. Somehow her hand had grabbed onto Trixie and she pulled her closer which squeezed Dinah in between them. Something that the girl who was grabbed seemed to find amusing if her suppressed giggling was an indication. Strangely, she didn't feel all that uncomfortable in between those two girls. The warmth, while a bit much, was a very welcome change after the damp and cold bunker she was kept in for weeks on end. She didn't even know exactly how long she suffered, now that she thought about it.

In the beginning, she wanted to count days, but as her hopes of being saved by anyone dwindled as the numbers kept decreasing, she gave up the endeavour. She did answer some of his questions and managed to slip in some slightly off answers at the cost of all consuming pain. Her Curse really didn't like it when she lied. So she refined her methods. She focused on the alternate realities and searched out those where results for his plans were as far away from those in her own as possible and gave him the numbers for those. After all, it would happen. Just not in their reality. She was still punished for that kind of misdirection but the pain wasn't as intense and she learned to deal with it out of necessity.

The additional agony was easily offset by the fact that some of his plans were going awry. That was when she stumbled on the demon in one of the most unlikely to happen timelines. And she latched on. This was her chance to get revenge. No way was she going to let it slip through her fingers. It was a challenge to manipulate things to make her come and she needed to misdirect and outright lie to increase the percentages but by even a bit. It ruined her, she knew. But it was all worth it to witness his downfall. She may have used her Curse to do it, but she avenged herself. As she was held gently by two girls probably younger than herself, the memories quickly became too much to deal with. Once her mind registered her to be somewhat safe, the walls began to crumble and the emotions sealed tightly behind them began to overwhelm her. The realisation that she survived and that the suffering seemed behind her was enough to shake her self-control thoroughly. Now that there was no need to put on a mask, to hide her true intentions from the leader of a crime syndicate, she fell apart without a chance to stop it.

She began trembling and didn't even realise she had begun crying until she felt the tears flow down her cheeks. An ugly sensation began to grow in her stomach. It felt as if someone mixed fear, anxiety, and lots of other nasties into a swamp that threatened to consume her whole. She didn't know how long she was lying there, heaving out ugly sobs that were guaranteed to deter any average girl. The ones that were holding her were anything but average it seemed. Both pairs of arms tightened around her instead of letting go.

They anchored her in the here and now, and slowly, she managed to wrangle the abhorrent mess of emotions back behind the floodgates. She took some shuddering deep breaths to make sure she wouldn't randomly break out in tears again. The two girls didn't let go though. They kept hugging themselves close to provide comfort. She didn't know when, but somewhere along her outburst, the blonde one had woken up. Even with her vision blurred from leftover tears, she could see the raw compassion reflected in her eyes. She seemed remarkably alert for someone who'd just woken up. Either that or she cried longer than she wanted to contemplate.

"Thank you..."

She managed to silently press out. She had no idea why she was whispering but it felt appropriate. The answer came in just as silent a whisper as she was nuzzled by the blonde girl before she glanced up again.

"Anytime."

Dinah couldn't look away from those eyes. Electric blue with sparks of amber and gold that seemed to swim in that ocean of blue. They were more open than any she'd ever seen. She found sympathy in them, and compassion. Vague understanding too. But one thing that was entirely absent, which soothed her mentality more than she thought possible at this moment, was pity. 'How can someone so young have such wise eyes?'

[94.185% chance that she suffered from neglect before being saved by The Morningstar.]

With how raw her mind felt after her outburst, the sudden influx of scenes that showed the girl suffering on her lonesome caused a sharp twinge in her brain and she winced as her eyes involuntarily closed. Present and past were easier to perceive for her since they already had a fairly clear path with only small deviations leading to what happened or was happening as opposed to the countless futures that split off from every possible moment in time. The tradeoff was that what she received was sharper and that more details remained in her conscious mind after the more unlikely versions of the past were purged by her Curse.

A vaguely distressed sound made her focus on the girls who held her again. Before either of them could say anything, Dinah intercepted.

"Please don't! No questions please. It'll make my headache worse. I'm ok, promise."

That brought both of them up short before the blonde one, Enid, nodded and cuddled into her. She didn't push for details and just accepted her words at face value. Trixie followed her lead even though she was clearly curious. She relaxed again and suddenly felt exhaustion overwhelm her senses. Her weary sigh caused some shifting and shuffling, but all they did was closing in on her, trying to cocoon her in their warmth. It was a... nice sensation, she decided. She refused to think much after that breakdown and decided to let her fatigue claim its tribute. As she drifted off to sleep, she marvelled at the safety that seemed to radiate from her two bedmates. She could get used to waking up like this. It was far better than waking up sitting in a chair while being filled with chemicals to utterly break her.

~Mephistopheles~

Another step was taken. He had put those mavericks into their place again and reminded them that he wasn't the leader because of his organisational talents, as was necessary every couple of months. He was the strongest among their ranks, though with Maze joining up, that would be a bit more of a toss up. In raw power, he was beyond her and he did have quite a bit of experience on her too. But she was tricky to deal with and she was never alone. If he had to put it into numbers, he'd say he'd give himself around 70% of a chance to best her if he was careful. Not that he ever would go against her, outside of sanctioned spars. They both served the same Lord after all.

As he returned to his office, his thoughts wandered to the past. When things were still uncomplicated but so much more boring. He was old. One of the oldest of the original inhabitants of the Circles. He could still remember those days where anarchy ruled supreme in the Infernal Realms. In fact, he wandered the land in days where suffering and agony were the only things to reliably be found down there. Not that that was a bad thing in general. It was an enjoyable existence. He survived and he was somewhat content with his experience, drifting through Fate's current as it led him through life. He always was bound by them and never really knew another state.

He saw the threads of Destiny that bound every single thing to its Fate. Be it objects or living creatures, everything seemed to be predestined in an exceedingly complicated web of preordained happenstance. Strung up like puppets dancing to an inaudible song only few were capable of perceiving. One day however, something different happened. Something not foreseen. A discordant note in the Grand Orchestra of Predestination, so to speak. Eons ago it happened. A being crashed into the planes of fifth circle, cast down by a truly unfathomably powerful blow. It came down already burning, releasing guttural screams of agony and fury that echoed far and wide through the caverns of Hell. The threads of Fate bound it were dictating that it would perish quickly and miserably. Even though he knew what was what was supposed to happen, Mephistopheles still decided to watch its death-throes. There wasn't really anything else to do after all and it promised to be entertaining if nothing else.

Without even realising it, he became entranced. Whatever it was, the inhabitants of the Circle of Wrath didn't take well to its intrusion. It was quickly beleaguered from all sides by demons, wretches, and other unspeakable things that populated the area. Despite its obvious Fate, the being continued to struggle. It's conduits of power, the bright feathered Wings on its back that channeled its unique nature, burned out in the unforgiving scorch that was ubiquitous to this particular plane of the Infernal Realms until they were nothing but skeletal husks of their former glory, but it continued. to. struggle.

It defiantly slaughtered bloody trenches through the swathes of demons that were trying to bring it down. For days and days the battle raged on and he couldn't look away for even a moment. He was fascinated by the threads of Fate snapping and reattaching to the being. It was something he'd never seen before. No one could resist the pull of Destiny. At least that was what he thought, but his entire view of the world was upended by what he perceived in front of his eyes. Slowly, the struggle seemed to come to an end however. Beneath his regretful eyes, he saw the being weaken. Exhaustion and the unending nature of the fight, in combination with the already nearly terminal burns it arrived with, left the being worn and weary. The initial Fury had ebbed away slowly, leaving its attacks still powerful, but without true substance.

In what seemed to be a last act of defiance, it began to take in the corruptive energies of the Infernal Realms to fuel itself. He was almost certain that the being was running purely on instincts by now and that there was no hint of reason left in it. Otherwise, why would it try to take in the kind of energy that was clearly anathema to it? It was a desperate gambit and it didn't seem to be paying off. Flesh was corrupted and began to fall from the formerly powerful body in troves. The being was wasting away but stood defiantly against the incoming horde. That was when it happened. Suddenly, there was a shift. The dimension that seemed to be hellbent to remove the invader suddenly seemed to embrace it joyously as if welcoming a lost son.

Where before, it was determined to end its existence, now it seemed to rebuild the creature in its horrendous interpretation of glory. This world's Will was testing the being's resolve, it seemed. And it wasn't found lacking. More and more of the Web was falling away as the being somehow managed to wrestle the Flames of Gehenna under control. The fetters that wanted to bring it down shattered apart and the being ripped itself well and truly Free from any and all machinations. This creature had reversed its own Fate and thus won the favour of this Primal World, and it was the most beautiful thing Mephistopheles had ever seen. It was enough to bring tears to his eyes for the first time in his life. Which was how he discovered that he had in fact corrosive liquid stored far closer to his eyes than he had ever wanted to know.

The sight in front of him was a revelation to his very being, and he felt the burning need to be a part of this. So he took a step. His own Fate was trying to guide him away, and when that didn't work, it tried to restrain and subdue him. To make him the obedient little dog he'd always been. And for the first time in his long life, he refused. His Infernalis churned as he took another step. As he defied Destiny just as his new-found role model showed him to. With a snarl, he turned his hateful gaze onto the restrictions holding him back.

Most couldn't even perceive them as they were guided by vague nudges and, more often than not, sinister plots. Usually, that didn't bother him, but right at that moment those shackles were by far the most vexing existence he ever perceived. He strained and threw himself against the restraints with wild abandon, but made no headway. He knew instinctively that this was a unique chance. That if he gave in, he wouldn't ever have such a one again. So he desperately struggled. Until something cracked. And then, whatever restraints were holding him back burst apart, gifting him with a set of glorious Wings. His Infernalis had grown beyond its limits and underwent a qualitative change. And he put his new capabilities to good use.

Like the Nightmare he always strived to be, he fell upon the legions and ripped into them with vicious glee. Blood and viscera splattered in all directions as he joined his Inspiration in his slaughter. With new-found vigor, it incinerated the legions and soon, they were the last ones standing. Carefully, he approached. The somewhat appetising smell of burnt flesh pervaded the air as he came closer as if he was a moth drawn to the flame. He was wrong, he realised. The being's eyes were unbroken by the agony and corruption it suffered through, as unbelievable as it was. They were aware and alert, though clouded by pain, rage, and exhaustion. This was not a creature of instincts. It was a Being capable of thinking and had consciously decided to try and integrate Flames that could cause far worse Fates than death, as could be vividly observed by its own state, into its very nature.

Once he stood in front of it, he did the only reasonable thing he could think of. He wanted to see more. He wanted to completely break free from his own Fate just as much as he wanted to continue to observe this creature. So he followed his instincts and knelt. He swore in one of the Olden Languages. A tongue forgotten by most, but powerful enough to even bind an Archdemon, especially when it happened out of their own volition. He swore his Life and Death to the one creature he would ever call his Liege. He swore himself to his King. And with a rumbling growl, his fealty was accepted. He would always be the First Servant.

The only reason he wasn't the Right Hand of the Devil was because he preferred to be the Left. The unassuming and obscured weapon that struck when one least expected. Maze was far better suited to be the Right. She had that flair and the inborn capability to lead. She would grow, carefully nurtured by her Lord and Mephistopheles himself. His reminiscence came to an abrupt end when he opened the door to his office and saw several people waiting for him. 'Think of the Devil...' He allowed himself a little smile at the thought before greeting his guests.

His entire demeanour underwent a transformation once he stepped fully into his office. From the confident and powerful leader of an influential organisation with supreme martial might, he shifted to the obsequious servant who wanted nothing more than to please his King. He deliberately ignored the other visitors for now. A Fateless being who was connected intrinsically enough to his Liege to be accepted as his Heir, a Focal Point of Destiny, and a Legacy? Truly, the Ruler who subjugated the Infernal Realms knew how to pick up interesting strays.

"Welcome to my humble abode, my Liege. How may I serve you and your entourage?"

He knew his deferential tone wouldn't be well received. It never was. His Lord always claimed to owe him a debt for helping when he had no need to intervene. The Archangel simply couldn't grasp that it was his appearance, his intervention in the status quo, that set a humble little demon on the path of true freedom. And that it was his Choice to offer himself to him. He exercised his Free Will when he bound himself. Oh, the Lord of Hell didn't try to talk him out of that. Free Will was far too important to his King to even attempt it. But he did drop hints from time to time that the only thing needed to release him from his Oath was one uttered comment of discontent. Nothing more. He always had to suppress a patronising smile when his Lord was in that mood. After all, why would he leave the service of the most entertaining being he ever met?

Lucifer Morningstar went against all expectations by default. Fate had no hold on him, but it was influenced by every move he made. He broke free from its shackles and ever since, he was a walking upheaval. Most of the time it was small shakeups. Entertaining but without much of a consequence. But sometimes, he went far beyond that. Sometimes, his actions rippled through a major part of the Web that connected everything. He suppressed a shudder of delight as he remembered the feeling. He truly craved the Chaos his Lord wreaked upon the flimsy tapestry of Fate. For Mephistopheles, it was bliss to watch the carefully spun Order unravel and frantically struggle to somehow re-establish itself.

And recently, it seemed to happen more and more often. Such as last night. He had expected the visit because of that since it was rather clear that Lucifer would be involved in whatever nonsense Maze was up to after he sent her along. He wasn't disappointed at all. Rarely had he ever seen the Grand Plan tremble like this. It wasn't as simple as a small aspect being torn. Oh no. The entirety of the Weave felt threatened by the move his Liege attempted and apparently succeeded in. Whatever the Lord of Hell did, it would have far-reaching consequences, and Mephistopheles was here for it, having first row seats and maybe even some snacks. Whyever would he give that up for anything?

He was awaiting with barely restrained glee just how this would affect the world. That said, he did feel a small ember of worry burrow through his innards when he realised the state his Liege was in. Whatever he did the past evening, it took its toll. He looked severely exhausted, though he hid it well from most eyes. At this moment, Mephistopheles was around 90% sure he'd be capable of ending the Devil's life. In the back of his mind, he was already planning protection details and hidden teams of guardians that would protect Lucifer and those important to him, especially since Maze looked just as worn, if not more so. She hadn't even snarked at him once since he entered, opting to rest with closed eyes instead. Maybe he should call up some elites from his Circle?

"None of that, my friend."

It was clear that he meant both, his verbal comment and his thoughts judging by his lightly admonishing gaze. Lucifer knew him better than anyone else. By earthen years, his time of servitude ranged millennia, but time fluctuated in Hell. A few years on earth might count hundreds in Hell. Some singular ones might even reach millennia all on their own. The Infernal Realms were a Primal Dimension and they were a place where Chaos thrived. It was no wonder that even the flow of time reflected that fact.

Mephistopheles's worry peaked however, since even his voice lacked the usual flair. He still had that charismatic undertone that would bring people under his banner without them even realising what happened but it was drawn and far weaker than usual. Something unacceptable for a creature as magnificent as his Master. 'Just what happened and who do I have to kill?' He itched to raise his claws against the threat that was capable of wounding his Lord like this. He wouldn't survive the attempt, he was sure. But he'd leave them with a nasty surprise. He was a quintessential Demon after all. Trickery and Misdirection flowed through the cursed substance in his veins that only distantly reminded one of blood.

"Little Dinah here came under my protection. As of now, a slight against her is a most grievous one against me. I will need to communicate with her guardian in case they want to claim her. I need to... Make clear that she needs a special kind of care. The kind that he probably won't be capable of providing and I want to offer up my services in that regard. We will need you to make contact."

Only now that she was mentioned did he put any attention on the minuscule brunette sitting in his Liege's lap to be held protectively by him. Both of her hands were being held. One by the little Heiress, and the other by the Legacy. As for the reason for his intentional oversight? Merely looking at her already caused him a mild headache. The way Fate swirled around her in a maelstrom of possibilities was disorienting for a clear-sighted one such as him. Prolonged contact would be agonising to say the least. Such was the existence of Focal Points however, and if she was under his Lord's protection, then he would have to get used to permanent migraines anyways. Who knew? Maybe he'd begin to enjoy them. He did grow to like those barbed whips back then too, much to his captor's growing horror.

As for the Focal Point? He noticed that she was trying to make herself smaller than she was. A futile endeavour in his humble opinion since she already was among the smallest and frailest children her age. At first he thought she was just being shy, but one look into her eyes made him rethink that conclusion. She met his piercing gaze without wavering. Her eyes were distrustful and hard. Those weren't the eyes of a child. They were those of a survivor. Of someone who'd seen more than just a glimpse of the abyss that was humanity's worst. Now that he was paying attention, he could see the hesitant black threads slowly receding from her as if they were unsure if they were still needed or not. 'She was fated for death...' He realised. And she knew it too. His Lord once again managed to do the impossible and rip away a Soul from his sister's greedy paws. Now wasn't the time to ruminate however.

"Of course, my Lord. It shall be done. Should he fail to fall in line, I will... arrange for matters to be handled. Do not worry yourself over such minor details."

The hint of exasperation in Lucifer's eyes that was summoned by his joke almost brought a smile to his face. He knew of course that he was only allowed to kill in dire circumstances, and only the truly deserving and those aiding them. That didn't mean he couldn't make liberal use of blackmail, coercion, and bribery to put some well meaning pressure on the mayor of a ruined city. His Lord understood that of course, and only admonished him non-verbally for his intentional choice of words. Mephistopheles did however notice that only the slightest hint of apprehension flashed past the child's eyes before acceptance took its place. That wasn't a normal reaction at all. She understood the implications but didn't grasp that he was jesting, and yet she reacted so calmly. 'I might need to truly ruin the man after all.'

The snacks he surreptitiously sent for arrived and all three children in the room were drawn to them. Even the Focal Point showed that she still had some childish innocence left. Under Lucifer's indulgent smile, they began to sate their voracious appetites while he informed his King of recent happenings and the circumstances that led to him sitting in the chair of a leader. It wasn't a role he ever wished for, but being freed from one's fated future meant that all kinds of strange occurrences had a possibility of happening. This was just one such happenstance and since it positioned him to be of use for his Liege, he couldn't have been more glad for it.

As the hour filled, their conversation ebbed and flowed, often led by the curious questions of Enid and Trixie. The Heiress and the Legacy respectively. He also gained a new epithet since Mephistopheles was obviously too long and Mephisto didn't appeal to them. Now, he was Uncle Phil to them. How they reached that conclusion, he'd never know, but at least it caused some merriment in his Lord and even Maze offered a throaty chuckle. There was one question however, that still burned on his tongue. He just didn't know how to bring it up. 'Well, in for a penny, in for a pound of flesh or some such.' He paraphrased the saying in his mind before opening his mouth.

"Uhm, my Liege? Please forgive my insolence, but there is one thing I'd truly like to know. Why is the hair of the Young Mistress, and her friend's for that matter, fated to become a disaster of biblical proportions?"

He took some measure of amusement from the startled and then outraged expressions on the faces of those two girls. Surprisingly, the answer to his question came not from his Lord, but from the bundled up child in his lap. These were her first words of the day as she'd been content to nibble on some cookies and listen in.

"93.561% chance that Lucifer's Father pranked them because of some rude prayers."

The answer was so unexpected that he couldn't help himself. He barked out a laugh, and was soon joined by a helpless chuckle from his Lord. The two in question were blushing a bit and looked embarrassed, though they had no reason to be. Mouthing off to The Almighty and actually eliciting a response wasn't something everyone could claim. 'My Lord chose his family well. I'm glad.' He thought to himself as he observed them interact with each other, hiding a soft smile all the while, though it was spied by Maze who had one eye open and was smirking at him lazily.

Chapter Text

~Dinah~

"Nothing I could ever do would in any way compensate for the suffering I brought upon you. Please do tell me how I can begin making it up to you."

Dinah was confused. Severely so. She hid it behind a well developed mask of indifference. It was a skill she was forced to develop in the 'tender' care of Coil and it quickly became the default expression of her choice. It cracked however when she saw the endless remorse in his eyes. He truly believed he was responsible for her suffering. 'But how?' Oh, she should have known better than to ask herself this question. She really should have known better.

Her mind was quickly flooded by scenes of a battle long past. Of a clash between titanic entities far beyond her comprehension. Her ability forced her to watch as The Almighty struck at The First Light without mercy while he defended frantically. He snarled at the unforgiving man who he once looked up to. The man who once praised him for sharing his gift with the universe. For crafting the Firmament in all its imperfect beauty.

She watched in abject horror as that same man struck a wound that should have been mortal by any means. The blow cut deeply into the Soul of The Lightbringer, causing it to leak Divinity in truly horrifying amounts. More painful than any wounds however was the profound heartbreak and betrayal on the Archangel's face before it transitioned into an expression that tore her heart apart. There was a smile, filled with Grief and fatalistic understanding. Tears flowed freely and he spread his arms as if to say: Do it. End it. And before her disbelieving eyes, he actually did. An almighty blow smashed the man who'd later be known as Lucifer through the dimensions below as his Father watched dispassionately.

"So he survived even that, huh."

The Divine Being grumbled with faint curiosity in his voice before turning and looking at the remains of what his Son's soul had bled. The last thing she saw before she was ripped from the Vision was the man waving his hand softly, collecting the glowing liquids and the shards that were splintered off from his Son's soul after his vicious blow. She spied the curiosity dancing in his unfathomable eyes.

"Hmm. I wonder..."

Her own eyes opened and a hint of red entered her vision that quickly grew more pronounced as she greedily drew air into her lungs. 'My eyes are bleeding. As is my nose and probably the ears too.' She thought absentmindedly as she tried to get her breathing under control while reluctantly accepting the input of her Curse.

[98.424% chance that he feels responsible since it was a part of him that blessed you with your Gift.]
'Fuck you too.'
[94.511% chance that he feels guilt by association.]
[91.817% chance that he feels guilty for letting himself be wounded severely enough to allow such a thing to happen.]

The worried visage of Lucifer, tainted by the red of her blood, floated in front of her eyes. With as much of a deadpan as was physically possible, she addressed him.

"Your Dad's a dick."

His face went slack for a moment as he registered the words before he barked out a surprised laugh. She tried to push herself up from the lying position she was in, presumably arranged by Lucifer since her head was in his lap, but failed to gather enough strength. Like the worried mama bear he seemed to represent so often, he quickly and carefully gathered her in his arms and helped her sit up in his lap to support her should it become necessary. The physical contact helped her center herself, as did the light glow that seeped into her from Lucifer's efforts. He shouldn't strain herself, but she was too grateful for the alleviating effects to chastise him. She'd do that later. For now, she'd enjoy the closeness and allow herself to bask in his care. Unconsciously, she ended up winding her arms around his torso and she pulled herself closer with a relieved sigh.

He gingerly returned the embrace, and now that she knew what she knew, she understood why he was so hesitant. Why he apologised. She didn't agree with his point of view though. Nothing about her situation was his fault. Not even a bit. It was all his dad. Could He hear her thoughts? 'He is supposed to hear and see everything, isn't He? Not that I care if He knows what I think about Him. Benevolent God my ass. Someone who is capable of striking at their son with the intent to kill isn't worthy of that epithet.'

"I don't know how to atone for this particular sin..."

His deep voice rumbled through his chest and she enjoyed the calming effect of the vibrations as she pressed her head against his ribcage. His words lit an ember of indignation in her, however. Somehow, she had to convince him that he wasn't guilty of anything.

"No. 'S not your fault. Your dad stole part of your Soul and stuffed it into me. He's a dick."

A soft self-depreciating chuckle made her strengthen her hold on him. The sudden onset of weakness was leaving her already and she used the fact to hug him tighter before pushing herself away slightly to look up into his face. The remorse she found there, still entrenched in his handsome features, saddened her but it also made her angry on his behalf. He was a victim of abuse. His father used physical violence against him. The school she went to before all of this traumatic crap happened made sure that all children knew that there was absolutely no reason for a parent to hurt them and that they could always report it to any member of the faculty. They meant it too. Even that one politician who hit his son was quickly and efficiently investigated and apprehended, showing just how serious they took child abuse.

'But who would report God?' She thought sardonically. 'Might makes right.' seemed an appropriate saying for this case. That didn't mean it wasn't horrible. Just that no one could do anything against it. The situation made her anger helpless and without target. The one responsible was so far beyond her that she couldn't even fathom how she'd go about bringing him to justice. How did one punish a being thought to be omnipotent and omniscient? She definitely couldn't, she realised. All she could do was to make sure he knew she didn't blame him for the deeds of others.

"Don't look at me like that."

She started with furrowed brows. She really disliked it when people needlessly blamed themselves. None of this was his fault! But he wouldn't believe her, she realised. Too long had he told himself that it was all his fault. Probably not even consciously, but it had festered in the back of his mind and had poisoned his view of himself. Another reason to loathe that particular deity. Even though he could probably tell she meant what she said, in his mind she just didn't yet grasp that he was responsible for her suffering. That wouldn't do. Not at all. If he didn't want to understand that he wasn't guilty for what happened, then she'd punish him in the only way she knew would help them both.

"You want to make it up to me even if you aren't responsible, right? Well, then I'll tell you how. From now on, whenever I want some warmth and safety, you'll be my seat. Whenever I need someone to hold me close, you'll do so. Whenever I just want to cuddle, I'll use you to satisfy my cravings. You'll be my Emotional Support Devil."

He tilted his head in confusion, his eyes expressing incomprehension as to why she would want something like this. She answered his unasked question with a shrug.

"Everything is grey. Dull. Listless. Life after Coil is... Hard. My body is still a bit weak but it'll heal in time, and the addictions were completely purged by whatever you did, but mentally?... I don't think I'll ever be the same again. Problems I've had before the abduction seem so trivial and dumb. Things I've thought about feel childish and immature. I don't know where I stand and I feel adrift, I guess."

Her words failed her for a moment as feelings she'd suppressed so effectively rose to the surface again. She was far more self aware than most 11 years olds. She knew that, and it grated on her that she knew but simply had no solution. She was mature enough to be aware of her problems, but not to deal with them and she abhorred the feeling of helplessness that came with that dichotomous sensation. Jaded and traumatized were two words that equally described her mental state, she thought to herself. Not everything was bad though. While there were new shadows on her mind and a darkness in the world that was always there but obscured from her naive eyes, she also had a new appreciation for some things. So she focused on the good in her life, apart from being saved from nearly certain death that was. She found her voice again and continued resolutely, looking him square in the eyes.

"But then there's you three. Enid, Trixie, and you. With that permanently smiling psychedelic fashion statement, it's kinda hard to see the world in grey scale, and the future President of Mars is so positive, I have a hard time holding on to my morosity."

She let out a wry smile. It felt both, foreign and right on her lips. How long had it been since she didn't have to fake joy? Even though the sensation was marred by her experiences, it was still more genuine than any expression she'd allowed ever since her parents died. Her time after that was filled with accepting empty platitudes and showing up at societal events after being coached by her uncle's PR team. If there was one person other than Coil that she hated from the deepest depths of her heart, it was that slimy pustule called Glenn Chambers. Forcefully, she changed the tracks of her thoughts. No need to poison them with that odious sociopath.

"With them I almost feel... normal again. And with you, I feel safe. With Enid too, but being close to you ramps that feeling up to eleven. I know part of it is that I have a piece of you sealed in my Soul, but your mere presence is calming and I feel much stronger when I hold on to you. You three give me a small piece of normalcy to hold on in a world that is riddled with uncertainties."

It took a lot out of her to admit all that, and she could only put it into words because she had to be verbose as the leading figure in the Undergraduate Arcadia Society of Debate. A title she was once proud of and another thing that seemed hollow in hindsight. But it wasn't just the words themselves that were challenging. Her entire mentality didn't lend itself to relying on others ever since she was abducted. It was something that she instinctively shied away from, and for a good reason too. She asked herself lots of questions in her time under Coil's thumb. And the answers She received were traumas all on their own.

She learned that his mercs had infiltrated her uncle's staff a while ago and that he had help from the inside with her kidnapping. People she trusted betrayed her and sold her out for a few grand. It was heartbreaking and made it hard to even think of trusting someone. But... If she didn't overcome this, he'd win. And there was a vicious beast in her that rebelled violently against even entertaining that thought.

Luckily, the people she chose to get close to had less than one percent chance to betray her. And that was only under very specific circumstances when she put herself in danger. One was a girl without a mean bone in her body and the other was the Lycan equivalent of sunshine mixed with a puppy. And now she was forcing herself to trust Lucifer too. It was surprisingly easy, she realised. It wasn't even the Light that pulled her towards him, but his uncompromising honesty. Sure, the resonance helped because she always knew he was telling the truth, but it was the fact itself that made her lower her guard enough to let him in. And that let her realise just how much she relaxed in his presence. Snuggling up to him to prove her words, she continued.

"I want to feel like that whenever I need it. I want to know that when I can't deal with everything, I'll have you to lean on. Every step forward is hard right now. I can barely deal with life when I suppress, well, all of it I guess. But that's not really healthy I think. So you'll be my Emotional Support Devil until I can handle existing again. Deal with it."

Her face was a bit warm and she hid her blush by continuing to hug herself close to him. It was useless she knew. He'd seen it already. from the way the tips of her ears felt hot, it was clear that they joined up in her body's betrayal. But he didn't mention it and she was thankful for that.

"What is it with all the little girls in my life. Every single one of you is so incredibly strong. I was of the opinion that children are sticky little creatures. Loud, impatient, infantile, and oh so grating. And that is certainly true for most of them, despite some of them having some redeeming features. But then, along came Enid and her incredible resilience against what was basically isolative torment. She was the first one who seemed determined to prove me wrong. Little Beatrice followed. She has to deal with an absent father and still cares more about her mother's feelings than her own wellbeing. She certainly is sticky far more often than she should be, but otherwise she is beyond tolerable."

She giggled at the faint disgust in his voice. 'Should I tell him that her stickiness is his fault most of the time? He is the one who feeds her all those desserts and they are what make her sticky.' She decided against it. He might decide to stop making them and then she'd have to suffer too.

"And now you. Even after I reassembled your Soul, you should have been a broken mess of a person. Instead you pulled yourself together again, and admirably so. Where you should have broken, you are instead functioning almost normally by sheer force of will. You really shouldn't be capable of even standing straight but you do so much more than that. You girls are far stronger than I'll ever be. I know it's not my place to tell you this but please know this: I am immeasurably proud of you, Dinah Alcott."

The slight warmth that had seeped into her chest exploded into true heat as a rush of emotions she couldn't even begin to identify flushed through her body. She needed something to fixate on, lest she lost control and bawled on him like a little baby. So she latched onto the flare of indignation that was nearly snuffed out by all the other overwhelming sensations. Pulling back and not caring for her full body blush to be seen, she glared at him.

"If I'm strong, then you're fucking Atlas! I've seen much more of it all than the others, you know? You carry a stigma worse than anyone else. It must be as heavy as the world and you don't break under it. You were mortally wounded by the person who should have protected you and you still found it in yourself to stand up again. You share your warmth and your love with others even though you were betrayed worse than any of us. If that isn't strength, then I don't know what is."

She harrumphed and pushed herself back into his chest. 'Stupid self-sacrificing Devil.' She thought crossly even as she enjoyed the warmth his body radiated. She wouldn't allow the person who went out of his way to try and save her at the cost of himself to sink into senseless self recriminations. Oh yes, she knew. She was partly aware during whatever it was he'd done, and she saw the state he was in clearer than anyone else. He risked far more than he admitted. Sure, it all worked out, thankfully, but that didn't mean he wasn't prepared for the worst. To pay the ultimate price for her salvation. Another thing that made it easy to trust him. But it did bring up a thought she wasn't really prepared to face.

'Is he suicidal?...' It came suddenly and it caused a surge of fear before it was tempered by what she knew of him. 'No. He loves Enid too much for that. Self destructive maybe, but not outright suicidal.' That was bad enough already. Maybe there was a way to get him into therapy? 'Wait, he offered it to me. Well, I don't want to be alone with a stranger, so he'll have to accompany me, doesn't he? And if the conversation somehow swerves towards my fears, I can bring it up.' The small smile gracing her lips was just a tad more devious than it usually was. Not that she smiled often recently.

"Language, my dear..."

She blinked, not understanding what he was talking about for a moment before she went over her own words and registered what he meant. Mechanically, she pulled back again and looked at him with her deadpan firmly in place. She didn't need to say anything since he was already laughing softly. She sighed lightly and allowed herself to fall forward. All of that emotional talk had exhausted her to the bone. A nap sounded good right now.

~Azrael~

Like a woman on a mission, she stormed into the living room. Had she had any affinity with fire, her eyes would have cut a flaming path through the room. Alarmed, Amenadiel looked up and apprehension entered his eyes when he realised her state of mind. Her glare made him cower. 'Good. He deserves to feel my ire.' she wasn't feeling very forgiving right now. Especially when she recalled the miserable state Lucy was in when they came back. He was literally burnt out. He had assured her that his Grace would recover fully with some time and that his Infernalis was already drawing in swathes of Sin to refill itself, but right now he was the weakest he'd ever been. Well, she heard afterwards that he was in a pretty bad state after his fight with Father, but it couldn't have been that bad, right? She ignored the uneasy feeling that told her that yes, it could have been this bad or worse. Instead, she concentrated on her worries about him. And she worried so much. She'd just found him again, she didn't want to lose her big brother again.

He was lucky that he was surrounded by loyal Family and friends, though. If someone like Belial got wind of his current state, he'd come after her brother with everything he had. So all of that considered, she could be forgiven that for the first time in her long, long life, she was truly cross with her oldest sibling.

"Souls are my expertise. I could have helped. You had no right to keep me away. And especially not with the method you used."

She didn't raise her voice. she didn't need to. The distress and resentment in it were enough to make her big brother flinch. Regret flashed past his eyes and he didn't answer for a moment as he collected himself. He didn't burst out with the first thing that went through his mind and thought his answer through before opening his mouth. When he did, it was with a silent intensity she wasn't used to from him. He met her gaze resolutely and presented an inner strength he didn't often show.

"The moment you became aware of the situation and tried to flash over was a critical junction. Any distraction could have cost little Dinah both, her life and afterlife. The Angel of Death suddenly appearing when her life was on a knife's edge? Calling that a distraction would be a massive understatement. I couldn't risk it. We should have called you over before we started, I'm not denying that. Neither of us was thinking all that clearly. I was panicking and Lucy was somewhere between delirious and insane. Not all that different from usual all things considered, but still not a condition that encourages sound decision making. Hindsight is always 20/20 as the mortals like to say. But stopping you from intruding on a highly volatile situation that could have gone awry at a moment's notice isn't something I'll allow myself to regret."

She kept up her glare for some more moments before slinking over to the couch and throwing herself onto it with a pout. She had her arms crossed in front of her chest and thought it unfair. It was hard to argue with him when he actually made sense. She was used to the somewhat blunt tool Amenadiel portrayed himself as, but he did have a more than decent mind. He just didn't often use it. Being around people who challenged his views and opinions seemed to do him some good in that regard though. There was just one thing she'd like to know. One vital piece of information that would shape his destiny.

"That still doesn't explain why you put me in a time loop, showing all my most embarrassing moments while learning to fly. On repeat."

He shrugged unrepentantly and suppressed a smile while radiating smugness and mirth. The fact that he didn't even bother to hide it while refusing to elaborate already told her everything she needed to know. He knew that her anger had already evaporated after his reasonable explanation and felt safe in the assumption. And he was right for the most part. There was only a bit of indignation left. Vindictiveness rose in her and she looked at him with a slight smirk that instantly transformed his smug mood into wariness. Rightfully so. He seemed to have forgotten the terrors he survived the last time he tried pranking her. He always chose the wrong moments to do something like this. There was a Time and a place for pranks and this wasn't it. His awareness in that regard was poor to say the least. She'd have to take a more... active approach to educate him it seemed.

"You know, Enid is a creative little girl. And she likes a good prank as much as anyone. I think I'll collaborate with her. I'm sure she'll have some ideas to put you in your place."

He was sweating nervously and gulped. It seemed he was only now remembering just who he challenged with his ill-timed practical joke. Well, it was too late for regret now. When she'd be done with him, he'd beg her for forgiveness. And maybe she'd grant it. After letting him stew for some days, or months.

~Maze~

She groaned as her head protested strongly against the motions she just tried to go through. She managed to somehow finish the kata but it was a close thing. 'Never again...' She thought into the raw and angry red wound that was her brain at the moment. She was getting better, especially if compared to the almost catatonic state she was in during the first few days after the utter stupidity that was a demon praying to an Archangel.

She was an ascended being. Someone who transcended the limits of her race with hard work and dedication. But she fell short to an incomprehensible degree in front of Lucifer. He was born one of the most prominent forces of the universe. Capable of going toe to toe with chief gods of other pantheons from the start, he only grew stronger thanks to his dedication to share his Grace with the universe. Now that she had time to think, as limited as the ability was at the moment, she was lucky to be alive if she was honest. From what she'd gotten as feedback, her hijack of their connection was very nearly interpreted as an attack on his Grace. Which would have eradicated her before she could have even gotten out a word.

Only Lucifer consciously staying his hand allowed her to finish the message and after truly thinking about it, she was humbled by the trust he showed her. The decision to not incinerate her with Holy Light must have been very nearly instinctive and it showed just how much he valued her. What she'd done already caused a lot of damage. If it had been a dedicated attack? He could have very well ended up crippled for a very long time. Maybe even permanently.

Besides the belated fear for her life, she also felt guilty. Which was an entirely new sensation for her. She was so used to being unrepentant and headstrong that the mere thought of feeling something akin to guilt was a sledgehammer to her mental state, not that she needed that to feel the headaches coming. Just turning her head was enough. Ignoring her physical maladies, she turned to the more obscure ones. At least a part of Lucifer's ailments was her fault. He had assured her that most of it was self-inflicted in a desperate attempt to save an innocent life. But hidden in that statement that was designed to reassure her, not that she needed such a thing, was the confirmation of what she'd feared.

Most. That single word was the linchpin of her guilt. It meant that she was responsible for something she truly regretted. Feeling like this was an interesting experience, though not one she'd like to prolong. So she simply didn't. She determined that she would do better. No more moronic mistakes. From now on she'd think things through before making a decision.

She was also resolute in fulfilling her purpose, which was serving her Lord to the best of her abilities all the while snarking at him and telling him clearly when he was full of shit. Which was why she was training when she was told to avoid anything strenuous for the next couple of weeks. Some katas and a bit of weight training didn't count as strenuous, right? She was unsure because the space where her brain should be felt decidedly more like liquid splashing against her skull than it probably should and she was beginning to feel a bit light-headed.

'Maybe this wasn't such a good idea...' she thought as she began to sway, only to be caught by someone small. Whoever it was was far stronger than their height suggested. She thought it was Enid for a moment, but once she was safely seated in the corner of the room and leaning against the wall, she noticed a shock of brown hair and not that chaotic blonde-orange concoction that was cursed to stay messy for the upcoming days.

In front of her, staring at Maze with eyes that had seen far too much shit for one so young, was the girl she'd found. Formerly known as Dinah Alcott. After her guardian had washed his hands of her, she seamlessly joined the Morningstar Family. What Maze kept from her time in that half-dead state she was in the past couple of days suggested that the Brockton Mayor agreed rather enthusiastically to declare the girl as dead. 'Uncle Phil' then pulled some strings to fake her existence in the foster care system, which was far easier than it should be according to him, and had Lucifer officially adopt her. She chose to keep her given name but took Lucifer's surname, making her Dinah Morningstar. The whole process was over even quicker than Enid's adoption, which was already an impossibly fast process.

The one who had crowed her joy into the world when it became official wasn't Dinah, but once again the vivacious Lycan. She was so stoked that she completely overwhelmed the poor girl and had to be contained by Azrael, Amenadiel, and Chloe until she calmed down somewhat. Her apologies were sheepish and manifold. Maze would have scolded her for her actions but the minuscule smile on Dinah's lips was the first one she'd spied ever since that fateful day where she decided it was a good idea to obliterate her brain with a divine chainsaw called Lucifer's Grace. 'Note to myself: ask Lucy if he'd bless a chainsaw for me. That sounds like a badass weapon.'

While her thoughts wandered freely to escape the sharp sting behind her eyes that made her smell colours somehow, silence reigned supreme between them. Slowly, the stare of the girl squatting in front of her was becoming a bit uncomfortable though, and she fought the impulse to scowl at her. She understood that Dinah wasn't at all balanced well, mentally speaking. It was the reason why Lucy decided to set up some therapy sessions with her, Enid, and himself. Dr. Linda Martin would have her work cut out for her, that was for sure. Finally, after what seemed to be an eternity, the girl opened her mouth. By now, the searing headache had receded to a dull throbbing that was irritating but not debilitating.

"Thank you."

She didn't elaborate. She just randomly thanked her and continued squatting in front of her, though she did put her chin on top of her arms, which were crossed on top of her knees. She looked oddly adorable like this. Well, if one discounted the fact that she hadn't blinked even once in all the time she was staring at her. Maze felt oddly naked and vulnerable in front of those eyes. They had that haunting quality that told her that the person who was looking at her saw more than they should. That they knew her better than she'd have liked. Possibly even better than she knew herself. She fought down the shudder that wanted to creep up her spine. If nothing else, the second Heiress of Hell was more along the lines of what she expected when she initially imagined who'd take the role. She just wasn't sure if getting her expectations fulfilled was a good thing in this regard. Oh, who was she kidding. She loved the idea of the two of them fucking with people, one being open and outgoing, the other one staring into their Souls and dissecting them with her eyes. She stopped her mind from wandering and focussed on her response.

"What are you thanking me for, brat?"

She had a suspicion and if she was right, the unnerving girl shouldn't have bothered. Lucifer would have flayed her alive if she'd let an innocent little girl die when she could have done anything to prevent it. And It was her duty to fulfill her Lord's will. When he wasn't a moron.

"Thank you for not hesitating to put that fucker down. He deserved it."

She blinked. That wasn't quite what she'd expected. Vocabulary aside, the viciousness shining in her eyes was something to behold. It was the most pronounced emotional response she'd seen from her as of yet. She felt her own lips twist into a horrid example of a smirk. It was corrupted by her own loathing for the man, and had more resemblance with a snarl than a smile, but it resonated with the second Heiress. The slightest hint of tension flowed out of her shoulders and she settled down slightly, making her squat a sitting position instead.

Whenever she saw her, the girl was on edge. The only times she came even close to relaxing was in Enid's presence and to a lesser degree in Trixie's. Oh, and while sitting in Lucifer's lap. It had become her signature seat. Whenever Lucifer was sitting somewhere, the chances for finding her in his lap were above 50%. She even slept there from time to time. 'He keeps the past away.' was the answer when she was asked why that was the case. Nightmares if she had to guess. It surprised her somewhat that he allowed it without protest, but then she spied him looking at the girl with a gaze as if she was a puzzle he had yet to solve. He seemed so extremely baffled that he didn't even notice her. Focussing on the here and now again, she gave the expected answer.

"You're welcome. I hope it was satisfying to watch."

Her slow nod in tandem with the slightly deranged pull on her lips could have been in the trailer for a horror flick. She didn't begrudge her whatever feelings were going through her at the moment, though. Even the most gentle person in this world would feel vindicated after what she went through. Maze asked her boss what the fuck had happened to her and apparently, the guy she killed kept her drugged up to her gills and continued pumping concoctions into the little girl that would have muddled even her enough to dance and sing about rainbows 'n shit. And this little girl defied him even after all that.

She manipulated the fucker into digging his own grave. That made her badass of the highest order and she definitely deserved the closure that was watching her tormentor breathe his last. Maze didn't even mind that she was essentially used as a murder weapon. Not if the hand wielding her was this skillful. She pulled all the strings while in a position of perceived powerlessness. She turned her situation around with ice cold calculation when hope seemed lost. And most of all, she was determined to take the fucker with her even if she didn't survive the ordeal. She earned Maze's respect, whether she knew it or not.

"I want to learn how to defend myself."

She suddenly told her. Maze focussed and collected her thoughts on the topic. It wasn't a bad idea really. If someone learned of her abilities, they might try the same thing Coil did. Oh, they would undoubtedly be hunted down by Lucifer and he would show them just how bad an idea it was to cross the Devil, but why even risk it? If she knew how to defend herself against kidnapping attempts, she'd be far safer and less prone to be traumatised. An ounce of prevention against a pound of cure and all that. Her continued silence as she thought on it was interpreted as hesitation because the second Heiress stated.

"87.612% chance that I'll be able to convince you. Why not make it easier on yourself and give in now? You won't have to aggravate your headache. Instead you could enjoy blissful silence as the throbbing slowly fades away."

And if she didn't give in, the opposite would be the case. The brat didn't need to say it. The way she had delivered those lines left open all kinds of implications. She was blackmailing her. Maze couldn't help herself, she was proud of her little survivor.

"You do know that you basically signed up for several near-death experiences, right?"

The dangerous edge on the corner of her lips was sharp enough to cut glass. The brunette realised the trouble she was in if the flash of apprehension was anything to go by, but she didn't pull back. Instead, she nodded resolutely, doubling down on her decision. Without another word, she stood up and went away to who knew where. Probably searching for Lucifer to cuddle up or something. On a side note, she now has three students. Enid, who wanted to learn because she needed an outlet for her boundless energy. At least that was the reason she gave, and it was true too, but she'd bet that the main one was her instincts to protect the Pack kicking in. She didn't want to offend them by questioning their capabilities, but felt the pressing Need to do her part. She was considerate like that, the walking rainbow.

Trixie because she didn't want Chloe to worry about her. She didn't realise that Chloe would always worry. That woman would still worry about her daughter when she was 90. Probably beyond that too. Lucifer had let her in on the fact that Chloe was a Miracle, which made her daughter a Legacy. If they dabbled a bit with their dormant abilities in combination with what would probably be pretty much permanent contact with several powerful Celestials, they'd have a massively increased life span when compared to mundane mortals.

And now Dinah. It was clear that she refused to feel helpless again. She was at the nonexistent mercy of a ruthless fuckwad who wasn't above drugging children to get what he wanted. 'He called her his pet, for fucks sake!' She raged in her mind while keeping her anger from showing. Truly, the guy was the worst kind of scum. If she could help the young Oracle deal with that fear by enabling her to bust some balls, she'd do so without hesitation. There was no reason not to after all. She just had to wait until back flips didn't make her brain do front flips instead. Then she could put them through the gauntlet. Though Enid would probably enjoy it all despite the fact that it made seasoned demons quit under tears.

~Enid~

"Good morning to you too, Dalton."

He looked at her with his brows furrowed in confusion. She didn't really understand why. Did he believe that calling her a mutt would have her froth at him? Or maybe he wanted to provoke an attack? That would have been silly. Why would she lash out at him when he didn't even really want to insult her? That said, she wondered what happened. Up until the week before, he was friendly with her. This monday he'd started with those cute sneers and scoffs. And now he was trying to rile her up like this. A suspicion was building in her mind. One she didn't really like. And the hint of a plan was taking form in her mind.

"You didn't know that I'm a werewolf, right? That's why you were friendly before and now you are trying not to be anymore."

His eyes widened in surprise before they narrowed again while his face scrunched up a bit. She found his expressive face adorable and she'd really like to squish his cheeks but was told that was impolite, so she kept the impulse at bay. Barely.

"Trying? I... I'm using slurs and dad told me you'd be attacking me by now. Why aren't you? Did I say it wrong?"

And just like that, it wasn't adorable anymore. It was sad instead. Putting aside the fact that he was asking her if he hadn't insulted her correctly, which was all kinds of hilarious, having her guess of his dad force-feeding him bigotry confirmed was something that made her sick to her stomach. Like when her mother tried to make her something she wasn't, his dad was trying to make a meanie out of a friendly and outgoing young boy. He was trying to transform him into a bully. Well, not on her watch.

"Are you your dad?"

He looked at her dumbly for a long moment before hesitantly shaking his head.

"No?..."

He asked her and she almost giggled, but that would have been a bit mean so she didn't. Instead, she smiled at him. It was one of her better ones. The sincere one that shined Light upon those receiving it according to her dad.

"But you look up to him, right? Because he's big and strong and he cares for you?"

He nodded slowly, not understanding where she was going with this. Well, she didn't either. She was just winging it. Dalton wasn't the first person to try and bully her. There were several others who attempted the same. It just never made sense to her. They were all people. Race didn't matter and neither did other differences. Shapes, colours, abilities, and all. Everyone had something they were good at and no two people were the same. Finding out what all of them were capable of and how to work together to create something new was far more fun than trying to bully the differences out of them. If everyone was the same, life would be boring. Some similarities could also bring people together though. So she decided to use that to connect.

"I'm the same, you know? I admire my new dad so much, every time I think of him, I can't help but smile. But I know he wouldn't want me to be the same as him. Wanna talk about them? Figure out where they are similar and where they're different?"

Somewhat eagerly, Dalton agreed and they had a long conversation about all the things their dads did. She even showed him the necklace he had made her and the boy was suitably impressed. It was a star shaped pendant that radiated a soft orange Light. It was eight-pointed and it looked really fragile but her dad assured her that it wouldn't ever break. He made sure of it.

"That's so pretty..."

Dalton told her with his eyes wide open before slapping his hand on his mouth as if he'd said something bad. She didn't think he had, but for his sake, she ignored the event and just answered.

"I know, right?! He said he made it himself and that it'll protect me when I need it. I think that's the job of our parents. Making sure we are ok and that we eat all our vegetables. I do too, which is why my dad says I'm his brave little Morningstar."

Dalton calmed down and nodded slowly before sharing something of himself.

"My dad calls me his little champ. He says I'm born to win but I looked up those people he compared me with and all of them say that talent is just a small part of it all. They say no one's born to win. If you want to win, you have to work for it. Practice and repetition, they say."

She nodded along. That was true. At the start she didn't even know how to throw a punch or how to avoid throwing knives without her abnormal reflexes. Now she knew how to do that and her physical gifts helped her become even better at it. Hard work was always a path open to anyone.

"So you wanna be an athlete when you grow up?"

She asked him curiously and his eyes lit up in that special way. It was akin to Trixie's when she saw a piece of chocolate cake.

"Yes! I wanna be the best swimmer ever! Or runner! Or cyclist! I haven't decided yet. I like all of them and moving is so much fun!"

Pulled along by his enthusiasm, she jumped up while smiling brightly and grabbed onto his hands. Subconsciously, she was careful to not use too much force. He looked at her, startled by the sudden movement.

"Why not all of them?! You could become an ironman!"

He tilted his head confusedly. He was probably thinking about the superhero. She giggled and corrected him.

"Not Tony Stark, silly. I mean the sports event! It's all you want to be, isn't it? They run, cycle, and swim!"

His mouth fell open, but he didn't say anything for a moment until realisation of what she meant set in and he nodded a bit apprehensively.

"Yeah! It's a triathlon. But I dunno if I'll be good enough for all three. I mean, one's already a lot of work..."

She shook her head resolutely.

"Nope. Not gonna happen. I believe in you so you'll be the best triathlist out there."

He laughed, though it wasn't that mean sound he attempted earlier this day. It was a laugh of genuine merriment. He corrected her, causing her to blush a bit.

"It's triathlete, not triathlist. But thanks. If you believe I can do it, then I'll have to believe it too, right?"

She nodded with a slightly embarrassed smile. It had been a while since she misspoke a word. She did look up all kinds of vocabulary but hadn't come across this one yet. By now it had become a bit of a hobby. Or an obsession if she believed what Dinah said. '87.512% chance, she said...' It was almost enough to believe her. She resurfaced from her thoughts just to see Dalton look at her uncomfortably. She tilted her head questioningly, and he visibly collected his courage and surprisingly apologised.

"Look, I'm sorry for cussing at you and for trying to rile you up. You're cool and your dad sounds awesome. I won't do it again, alright?"

'Ah, that... I'd already forgotten. Should I tell him that? Better not, right?' she turned the thought over in her head before deciding to tell the truth but package it in a way that wouldn't sound condescending.

"All's forgiven and forgotten. We're friends now after all!"

He seemed speechless for a moment before asking in a small voice.

"Really?... Just like that?"

She nodded. It wasn't anything hard to understand. They had a nice conversation in their break, and now they were friends. That was all that was to it. She answered verbally too, just in case he needed that kind of validation.

"Just like that. Now, why don't we go and search for Trixie? I have some cookies to share and she'll be all pouty if she doesn't get one."

He didn't really have a chance to protest as he was pulled along, but he didn't try to pull out of her grasp so she counted that as a win. Searching out her best friend/sister by her scent was getting easier and she almost didn't need to put in any effort anymore. Once she was abducted too, they searched out their friend group and soon found them, already at one of their spots. Soon, they were huddled together with some other children, discussing the pros and cons of different cookie flavours. From how they tasted fresh to those that became tastier over time and even if they tasted better as dough if compared to the baked variant.

The general consensus of this essential discussion was that one couldn't go wrong with the classics. Chocolate chip for example had high ratings in all categories though it fell off a bit in the 'Tastier over time' bit. Almond and peanut butter too, with the same problem. Christmas cookies got extra points in that category. Some opinions were a bit disputed because of the lack of proof, but once they promised to bring samples, everything was alright again. Tara especially liked to nab herself some of the filling for her granny's strawberry cream cookies, for example. She claimed that the homemade cream with real strawberries was the bestest she ever had. While there were some arguments and rising tempers from the more passionate kids, it was all in good fun and they enjoyed their time. At least Enid liked to think so since the smiles on their faces lasted well into the next lesson, much to her joy.

After school, she sent off a quick prayer to her Dad to get them. As always, he grumbled that she should use her phone for that, but that wasn't as fun and she knew he wasn't really irritated. He did tell her that he'll need some minutes before he could get to them though. In the meantime, they stayed in the schoolyard, sitting on the swings. Trixie seemed preoccupied for some moments before turning to her curiously and asking.

"What did you do to Dalton? He was becoming a total jerk, but one conversation with you and he's a nice guy again. Did you use magic?"

Enid giggled at the silly thought that went through her head. A werewolf in a magical girl costume waving around a strange tiara. Trixie found it pretty funny too once she shared the source of her sudden onset of giggles. Once they calmed down, she decided to answer the original question with a shrug.

"It's just his dad filling his head with mean things about outcasts. Stuff like werewolves are nothing more than wild beasts who understand some language. He told him that we can be trained like dogs but that we are way more dangerous and not worth the effort. He also told him that we are all violent and quick to anger. I mean, the last part has some truth at least. Young weres, especially in the teens, often have trouble keeping themselves under control since our hormones are far more potent..."

She stopped since it seemed she'd lost Trixie once she went into the biology of it. Enid found it interesting so she read up on the topic. Now that she got so much practice in, her reading speed increased tremendously and she used it for all kinds of things. Like reading articles about werewolf biology. It took her a while to look up all the words for that one and there were still parts of it that went over her head, but she understood the basics. 'Hmm, how to explain this.'

"Uhm, you know what puberty is? When girls begin to transform into women?"

Her sis nodded somewhat unsurely, probably aware of it but not really grasping the concept. It didn't matter much though.

"Well, during that time, girls are known to be more irritable and boys begin to show more aggression basically. The reason for that is that to change, our bodies produce stuff called hormones and those can influence our moods. We produce the stuff as kids too, but not as much and in different ratios. With a bit of self control you can keep yourself in check, but teenagers aren't known for that. Werewolves have that same thing turned up to eleven. It's much harder to control and we sometimes struggle to deal with even the smallest insults."

Trixie nodded, more thoughtful now. This would keep her mind occupied for some time. She was bright and intelligent but if she didn't know something, she didn't know it. Knowledge didn't magically appear in one's mind. It had to be taught, accumulated, and remembered. And she'd be glad to teach Trixie everything she wanted to know and to be taught in return. Learning and teaching went hand in hand in her opinion.

Her dad chose that moment of contemplation to flash over, causing her to jump slightly at the sudden sharp smell that accompanied his dimensional travel. It didn't smell bad and it only ever lasted less than a second, but without warning, it was a startling scent. Bending her upper body backwards, she grinned up at him. From her point of view, he was upside down and looked a bit silly with his Wings out. She giggled as he shrugged them away and sent a gentle smile her way.

"What has you in such a good mood, dearest Hellspawn?"

She flipped over completely, doing a small handstand in the process, and quickly turned to hug him.

"Just had a picture of you with your wings out in my head. You were hanging upside down in a cave like a bat. I think you'd look cute in a vampire costume. Hallowe'en is soon. Will you go trick or treating with us? We can take Dinah and Chloe! And Maze can show her true face without anyone questioning it!"

She looked up at him excitedly and he tried to avoid her eyes for some reason before he sighed with the corners of his lips pulling upwards. The smile he sent down to her before he grabbed her under her arms to lift her up was a fond one.

"Whatever you want, my bright twinkle."

That was a new nickname and she loved it. To be fair, she cherished all terms of endearment her dad bestowed upon her and she soaked up the affection that she so dearly missed in her earlier years. Trixie took that moment and barreled against his legs. He looked down at her with fond exasperation that only intensified when she motioned for him to pick her up too. He didn't hesitate to do it though and she grinned at her sister who was now at a similar height.

"So, how was school, my little angels? Do I need to make a visit? Share some... wisdom with people?"

The question opened the floodgates. He carried them to an out of the way alley while letting their recountings go on. Enid was a bit confused until he summoned his Wings again and bent the Light around them to make them invisible. Excitement surged through her when she realised they would fly home. She loved the sensation of gliding through the air and being carried by the powerful Wings of her dad. Her adrenaline induced whoop as he pushed them away from the earth, seemingly untouched by pesky little hindrances like gravity, echoed through the air and was joined by an excited giggle from Trixie.

All too soon, they began to descend again. Despite the fact that he prolonged the flight by circling a couple of times, it was over way too quickly. She didn't want to be ungrateful, so she thanked him.

"Thanks for flying us home, dad."

Trixie was nodding along and her dad noticed, which caused the corners of his eyes to crinkle a bit. He was touched by something and it took her a moment to work out what was the cause. When she did, she smiled secretly. Trixie saw his penthouse as much as a home as her own. She was here almost as much too, and she was beginning to see herself as a real part of the family even though it's only been weeks since they met. Her dad still had some silly preconceptions. Like being the Devil made him somehow a worse person or something like that. But Trixie knew who and what he was and didn't mind it at all. She saw the Devil's Lair so to speak as a home and loved spending time with them.

It was all new for him and it warmed her heart that he was so accepting of it all. Twisting her body a bit, she wound her arms around his neck and hugged herself close to him. His arm instinctively followed the motion to best support her even though she didn't really need it. It was just one sign of his care for her among uncountable others, and she cherished each and every one of them. She loosened her hold and pulled back slightly to look into his eyes.

"We all love you, you know? Trixie, Uncle Amy, Aunty Az, and I. Even Chloe and Maze do."

He looked at her dubiously and she giggled. She knew why he was looking at her like that. The love of some people was harder to notice than that of others. Maze for example showed her love in strange ways, but she was awkwardly affectionate with her family. Her care was understated and a bit harsh in terms of language, but oddly considerate if one bothered to look past that first thorny layer. Chloe showed her's by worrying. She worried and fretted endlessly over those she cared for. It was a bit overwhelming at times but it also was warm and gave Enid lots of soft feelings. She understood why he was confused about it all, but he needed to understand it. Today wasn't the day he'd believe her though. Oh, he knew she wasn't lying but even if she believed what she said, it didn't have to be true. It was, but he didn't believe yet. That was fine. She'd just have to show him.

"We have some homework to do. Can we go down to play later?"

The playground was almost ready to open. There were just some people who had to sign off on the safety features left to come. Until then, they had the playground to themselves. And she wanted to make use of the privilege for as long as it lasted. She was bursting from anticipation for the opening and all the kids who would come to enjoy her dad's achievement, but there was something special in sharing this large playground with only Trixie and Dinah.

"Of course, darling. But you'll have to eat a little something before going down to play. Any special wishes?"

She thought for a moment before deciding.

"Something with meat please! Oh, and maybe a sweet dessert?"

She glanced at Trixie who was giving her what she thought to be a hidden thumbs up. Enid almost giggled since it was pretty much in full view for her dad to pick up on. He did, of course, and showed that small smile when he observed one of them doing something he found adorable. Softly, she signalled to be let down. She needed to inform Dinah of everything that happened today. If she couldn't go to school herself yet because of her trauma, then she could at least partake in the experience in a second hand manner.

Trixie picked up on it and followed along. She hoped that the therapy sessions would help her newest sister. She was strong and determined to suffer silently, but the mere thought that she was suffering from panic attacks and anxiety nearly on a daily basis was ripping apart her heart. Especially since there wasn't much she could do for her except for holding her close when she found her and giving her something to lean on. She hated being powerless and unable to help. Maybe she could ask the psychiatrist what she could do to help? There had to be something. She was sure of it.

~Chloe~

"I'm telling you now, Dan. Drop it. I trust him and he is good with Trixie. His daughter is her best friend and they call each other sisters. I am trained to spot the things you are implying here and I'm telling you there is not even the hint of a sign for anything like it. If you don't stop low-key accusing my friend of unspeakable things, I will punch you."

He shifted a bit uncomfortably at her threat, but he didn't back down. Instead, he took that stance. The one he always took when he was about to say something incredibly patronising. 'You know what? No. I won't let him run roughshod over me anymore.' She took a step forward to get into his personal space and used his surprise to preempt him.

"You haven't even seen your own daughter in over a month. You fail to keep to the times you promised her and your excuses are getting less and less believable. Which is impressive since they always were paper-thin. If you want to have a say in who she spends her time with, maybe you should spend some with her yourself. It certainly would be a novelty, wouldn't it?"

His eyes widened at her confrontational stance and he looked like a kicked puppy for a moment before the lines around his mouth hardened.

"I'll have you know that my work is important. I can't just drop everything and...-"

The sharp motion with which she cut him off almost transitioned into a slap. Almost. She did fantasise for a short moment but managed to control herself.

"Just... Stop. In case you missed it, I do serve in a rather similar position."

She told him drily while pointing at her badge. He had the decency to look faintly embarrassed, but didn't seem to be ready to back off yet. Good, because she wasn't done yet. If she wanted him to understand, she had to be a bit more blunt than usual, it seemed.

"I still manage to make time for the most important thing in my life. You know, the precious little girl you had a hand in creating. Our daughter. Just in case you've forgotten. And let's be honest here. The way you open and close cases leaves you with far more time on your hand than most members of the force. And yet, you always seem to be busy when it counts. I wonder what that says about you. No, not really. It tells me that you aren't worthy of her. Now, if you'll excuse me? I have some paperwork to do before I'll have to leave. I want to read my daughter a bedtime story. It's the highlight of my day and I'm really looking forward to it."

She left him floundering and didn't care enough to look back. Except for the violent urges that were getting more and more common with each time she interacted with her ex, he was becoming easier to deal with. She didn't try and force him to be a stabilising influence in Trixie's life anymore since she already had one, now that Lucifer was such a prominent part of their lives. Of course she wanted her little monkey to have her birth father in her life, but if he categorically refused to cooperate, it would do more harm than good. She didn't want to be the reason for her daughter stressing out over things she shouldn't even have to think about yet.

On autopilot, she filled out the paperwork for the case she closed the day before. Another was called in soon after, which caused the paperwork to collect dust for a day. Her thoughts wandered as she went through familiar motions. When was the last time she was looking forward to returning home this much? When did she start to see Lucifer's penthouse as a home away from home, for that matter? All she could think about was the shine on her daughter's face and the man who had put it there. Why did it take the Devil himself to make her little monkey this happy?

Subconsciously, a soft smile spread on her lips as her free hand wandered up to the pendant hidden beneath her clothes. It was a beautiful thing, crafted by Lucifer's own hands. A small plate made of platinum with golden inlay and scattered with palmeira citrines that gleamed like orange stars as background for a scale to represent her connection to Justice. On both sides of the scale, there were doves seated and their beaks touched in the middle. The scale itself was held to the medal-like platinum plate with golden thorny vines ending in blooming ruby roses. The whole piece was fastened to a beautifully woven white gold necklace. She was struck speechless when he took her to the side to hand it to her in private.

He was clearly a bit uncertain about it and her reaction, or lack thereof, left him floundering a bit. He looked confused, vulnerable, and adorable all at once in that moment and seemingly failed to grasp that she simply didn't know what to say in response to such a gift. Instead of giving her a minute to catch herself, he barrelled on, using his bravado to push past the perceived awkwardness and told her that it would protect her when he couldn't. Only to try and preempt her potentially volatile reaction with wide eyes, much to her growing amusement.

'Oh, I know you don't need to be coddled, my dear. But your calling is a dangerous one, and I would never be able to forgive myself if something happened to you when I could have done something to change the outcome. It would feel as if I had a hand in your spawn's heartbreak, and that would rip apart not just me but my daughter too. Please take it and carry it on yourself at all times, if not for yourself then for your daughter. Fear not, she will receive a similar gift. Now, I am hesitant to give her protection in the form of a pendant. Children are prone to losing those after all. Are you against piercing her earlobes?'

His words were still fresh in her memory and she couldn't help but smile fondly. Instead of answering verbally, she had just hugged him. While he stiffened a bit, he quickly returned the gesture and settled down. He cared a great deal for Trixie. He even admitted as much when he was caught off guard, and she adored him for it. In the back of her mind, she wondered if he felt the same for her. She refused to think too deeply about it for the moment. Especially since neither of them seemed to be all that sure yet. The symbolic meaning of the pendant she'd gotten from him was a very clear indicator, but he probably didn't even realise it. He was a bit dense like that. Or more likely, he didn't allow himself to grasp what his heart was telling him.

She also had to push through the divorce before she'd allow herself to even contemplate another relationship, so she was fine with keeping it platonic for now. And It wasn't as if they didn't already spend a lot of time together which would make it rather easy to learn more of him. What made him tick and turn. She had a room reserved for herself in his Penthouse, as did Trixie for that matter even though she never used it for anything but playing and storing her toys since she slept with Enid and Dinah most of the time. Faint worry rose in her when she thought of the newest addition to their household, only for it to fade into the background when she startled from her own thoughts.

Since when did she consider herself part of Lucifer's household? When she actively thought about it, she realised that it hadn't taken long. It wasn't a conscious decision. She just... Started looking at all those quirky characters that made up his family and friends as her's. Enid almost felt like Trixie in her mind, and to a lesser degree, so did Dinah. Once the realisation set in, she accepted it as what it was. She was utterly caught in Lucifer's orbit and she couldn't bring herself to regret it. She was happier than she had been ever since she could remember, and more importantly, the same was true for her daughter.

He might have been a bit too much sometimes, but who wasn't in some ways? She certainly had her moments of extreme agitation that could push her to do and say things she usually wouldn't. Such as punching her ex. 'It would be so satisfying too. To feel his jaw give in under my fist... To make him feel a fraction of the pain he inflicts on our daughter.' Shaking off the temptations since they would only increase the paperwork she'd have to do, she instead concentrated on finishing up work. She still wanted to spend some time with her daughters, even though two thirds of them didn't know they were claimed, and for that to happen she had to pick up the pace. She certainly had the motivation. What could be a better drive than wanting to return home into the arms of a harmonious and happy family?

Chapter Text

~Linda Martin~

As Family Morningstar filed into the room, she nearly couldn't keep herself from smiling. Today would only be them getting to know each other. There would be no pointed questions, no digging into a child's psyche. She wouldn't try to pry apart their minds and uncover their deepest traumas. A good therapist didn't do such things at all. If they did, they were malpracticing. They were using their knowledge to cause more damage than they repair. She abhorred that type of abusive mental health practitioner and it was her firm opinion that such things should have been illegal. Because the relationship between Therapist and Patient should always be based on trust.

Her approach was different than most, she knew. She endeavoured to work with her patients instead of on them. Getting to know the person behind all those layers shown to strangers was a rewarding experience. It took time for most. Showing your therapist the sides of you that were meticulously hidden away and never to be expressed through your public persona was a charring thought at first. But in her experience, once their true self came to the surface, that beautiful creature painted in shades of grey, it was far less challenging to get to the core of their issues. It was also more gentle on their psyche.

The very first thing she told all her patients once they decided to stay under her care was that if they didn't want to talk about a topic, they needed to tell her that and she wouldn't pry. Everything would happen in their own tempo. Nothing was forced upon them. No verbal traps to lure them into talking about things they weren't ready for yet. And that helped them trust her once they realised she meant it. If someone was honest with themselves and their therapist, then there wouldn't be any intentional obfuscations anymore. It made helping them to become the best version of themselves that they wanted to be much easier.

The reason for nearly breaking her professional mien and smiling at them outright was the postures. Lucifer Morningstar was a tall, dark, and handsome man. And his body language screamed 'protective' into her face. Held up on his arm was a brunette girl who looked a tad too gaunt to be entirely healthy. She had her face pressed into the crook of his neck, but one of the child's eyes stared at her. It wasn't an unfriendly or distrustful glare, but it did make her feel a bit uncomfortable. There was a knowing gleam in them that made her feel self-conscious for no real reason at all.

Holding on to his other hand was the younger of the two children, though she looked a bit older instead. Her hair was shockingly bright and the sun shining through the window hit it just right to make her blonde and orange gleam as if it was on fire. All the more impressive was it that her eyes were what caught her attention the most. They were astonishingly open. There was curiosity, a hint of apprehension, excitement, affection, and a myriad of other emotions laid bare in her gaze. Most of them were positive in nature, but there were hints of darkness. They just seemed understated as if she was too busy with the positive side of her emotions to pay them much attention.

The question was if she was subconsciously compartmentalizing or suppressing her responses, or if she truly wasn't bothered by them. She couldn't judge that with a first impression and doing so would have been unprofessional. Last but certainly not least since all her patients received equal attention from her, was the man of the hour himself. Privately, she admired his drive and the way he threw all of his not inconsiderable influence into making a safe haven for children and she'd love to work with him on the project. Today, that wasn't the reason for their visit however. Instead, they wanted her to help little Dinah deal with the recent rapid fire traumas she had to suffer through. The man himself was almost as open as his younger daughter, and while his body language showed a hint of wariness, it wasn't antagonistic except for the almost vicious protectiveness he projected. She did see that he was also subconsciously hiding parts of himself, but it was of no consequence for today.

His brown eyes, alight with that steely glint that was visible in all good parents, had a warmth and softness to them that flared every time one of his daughters drew his attention. He was acutely aware of them, and shifted to accommodate them on an instinctual level that was astounding to watch. Only the most devoted parents, oftentimes those who had trouble conceiving or those who had to watch their children in near death situations, could match him in that regard. He behaved with almost religious fervour that seemed deeply ingrained. It would certainly play into the theme he had going. She wasn't entirely certain if she should believe his claims of being the Devil himself. Oh, she was aware of the divine. Her college time was... Wild to say the least. She wondered shortly how Hunahpu was and if he finally reconciled with his twin, but quickly banished the thoughts to the back of her mind.

She wasn't yet decided on if he was an outcast who believed himself to be of divine origins or if he was the genuine article. She was open for the possibility however and any reservations she might have had in the case of it being true were well and truly laid to rest when she watched those first few interactions between him and his daughters. They had him completely wrapped around their little fingers. If he was the Devil, she would now have to attest to the fact that the most reviled figure in so many mythologies was actually a sweetheart, if only to his daughters, as was evidenced further by the smile he gave her. It was dangerous on several levels. A warning, a Sin, and a plea for help. It was a sharp little thing that reminded her of a razor wire well hidden in cotton wool.

"Ah, Doctor Martin. It's a pleasure to meet you. Finally, I can pair your pleasant voice with an even more gorgeous face."

He remarked as he led Enid to the couch across from her to take a seat, following her gestured invite. The little girl easily scrambled onto it while he sat down more measuredly, making sure to not disturb little Dinah, who was still subconsciously clinging to his dress shirt. The couch was an expensive piece of furniture, but the comfort it provided to her patients easily outweighed its material worth.

She actively compartmentalized her response to his greeting, but let a bemused stray thought through her tight control as she shrugged off the benign influence he subconsciously exuded. 'Apparently, he's a flirt.' With as many psychics and other outcasts she had under her care over the years, keeping her mind safe under heavy mental pressure from all kinds of abilities was an essential skill. That said, his was a pretty insidious one, which made it harder to deal with. It played on her attraction to him and it wasn't a direct effect that she could just filter away as an outside effect. Instead, it was tied into her own perceptions of him. If she had to put a name on it, she'd call it Temptation. Awareness helped, but even so, she found her eyes lingering a tad longer than they should have. 'Gotta be careful about that. It's definitely a more dangerous influence than most. This won't work if I can't stay professional.' She noted as she smiled at them neutrally while projecting the genuine warmth that she'd become rather famous for.

According to some of her empathic patients, what set her apart from most other therapists was the fact that she didn't just show care. She actually cared for each and every patient. Professionalism aside, she genuinely wanted to help all of them. They came to her in desperation, searching for assistance in dealing with a life that often treated them unkindly. The least she could do was give it her all to provide what they were searching for. Collecting her thoughts, she finally addressed them, making sure that her voice had a calm and stable undertone.

"It's a pleasure to meet you too, Mr. Morningstar. Those two are your daughters, Enid and Dinah, correct?"

She saw all of them relax a tad and had to think for a moment to understand why. 'My lack of emphasis on the fact that they are adopted.' Was the conclusion she came to. It was apparent that the behaviour wasn't conscious in nature so they probably didn't even know yet that it was a hangup for all of them. That little bit of information aside, what she saw in front of her was a functional family. It simply didn't matter if the kids were adopted. Rarely had she seen a father who so openly adored his daughters and just as rarely had she seen such unconditional trust in children beyond the age of five. Especially not after such a short amount of time under his care. Their rather traumatic experiences didn't lend themselves to quickly built trust. Though the fact that he was a substantial driving force in both their rescues did help laying the foundations, it certainly wouldn't have developed to such a degree if he wasn't proving himself worthy of it.

Enid nodded with a bright smile, answering her question verbally and with her whole body, while Dinah's affirmative hum was far more subdued in nature. It was clear that she wasn't used to being out and about again. Even just the trip here cost her a lot of mental strength, Linda was sure. 'The poor dear. No one should have to suffer through such things, least of all children. Those eyes are far too old to belong to a girl not even in her teens yet...' She shook off the hint of pity that wanted to take root without showing any of the signs outwardly. She was a survivor and Linda knew that they didn't react well to pity most of the time. Compassion was mostly fine. Empathy needed a reason. Pity however was abhorred. Especially by those of her type. She actively fought back. And she continued to do so. Despite the apparent strain on her mentality, she forced herself to stay alert and aware. She hadn't moved her one eyed gaze away from Linda even once since they entered.

It was clear that the young brunette was observing her just as astutely as Linda was doing with them. She was judging her, deciding if she was worthy to be trusted. As always, Linda would do her utmost to win her approval. It was the least she could do for her patients. After sending her a small smile that would let her know that she understood what she was doing and didn't hold it against her, she began.

"As you probably already know, my name is Linda Martin. I'm not hung up on you using my title to address me. I'm not here to impress my authority on you or intimidate you into complying by means of my degree. Instead, I want to help in any way possible. Therapy is stressful by default, there is no need for me to add to that."

She let her words sink in and observed their reactions. Enid continued to smile, and it was a genuine one too. There was however a small twinkle of approval in her eyes that was absent before. Dinah let a hint of interest show. And Lucifer? Well, his presence shifted slightly. He was still clearly on edge, but he judged her words as true and carefully relaxed a tad. It was a good start really. She continued, keeping her body language and the cadence in her voice as open as possible.

"Today, there won't be any attempt at diving into your issues. I won't try to make you open up or pry into your deepest secrets. Instead, I want to get to know you. I want to understand who you are and what it is you need. Therapy can come in many forms. I've had patients who simply needed someone to listen and others who wanted nothing but a silent space in hopefully pleasant company. To gauge what it is you want and need out of these sessions, I want you to tell me something about yourselves. It can be any little inconsequential piece of information. The only thing I'll ask of you is that you'll be honest please."

They collectively took a moment to think, and if she didn't need to keep her professional mien, she would have cooed at them. Even after such a small amount of time together, Enid was already taking on her father's mannerisms. It was precious to watch. Surprisingly, the first one to talk was Dinah. Her voice was almost free from inflections. A calm stream of words with almost no hint of emotion. The message she delivered stood in stark contrast.

"While I was down there, in that cold and damp place, hidden away from everyone but my tormentor, I thought what it would be like. To just give in and end it all. Day by day, the temptation grew as hope dwindled. The moments I was lucid enough to actually think grew less frequent and I wanted to die as myself and not a shell of what I once was. Only the thought that dying was giving up kept me alive long enough to somehow pull through."

She didn't miss the apologetic glance Dinah sent both, Enid and Lucifer. While there were tears swimming in the former's eyes, she kept up a strong front and sent back a smile that transmitted an understanding beyond her years. Lucifer's response was more intense and more subdued at the same time. He showed nothing in his expression, but his eyes were flickering between ice cold brown and the burning rage of Hellfire. The girl who had elicited all of that was once again looking at her and there was something new in her eyes. 'She's testing me. That confrontational stare of hers really hits hard.' Linda thought to herself as she locked away the surprise and horror at the fact that a precious little child like her had to go through an ordeal that was enough to almost drive her into suicide. Her resilience was remarkable. The ordeal behind her would break most adults. The fact that she didn't spoke of marvelous inner strength that was only to be admired. Carefully, she nodded. She didn't take notes for the first session out of principle and she would adhere to that. She did make a notation in the back of her mind though.

"Thank you for sharing such an intimate detail. I want you to know is that it is a true challenge to listen to such things and stay professional enough not to collect you into my arms and keep you safe from the world. Though, it seems your dad has it covered, doesn't he? Now, let me tell you one thing. I admire you wholeheartedly. To confront your personal demons head on like this takes a truly strong person. That said, there is a reason I want to keep the first session light and without any major upsets. It helps establishing this room as a haven of safety and it allows my patients to relax their guard and mind."

She sent a small smile at her that showed that her words weren't meant as an admonishment but simply to inform her of the nature of this exercise. The light dusting of pink on her face was the first true emotional response she showed and it fulfilled its purpose in lightening the mood. It was also an adorable picture if she was entirely honest with herself. The wink she sent afterwards was an intentional break from her facade to put her on ease, if only slightly, and it worked if the way she pulled herself into her father's chest was anything to go by. Even as he pulled his daughter closer to shelter her, he sent her a thankful gaze that was marred with promises of violence not directed at her. She didn't hold it against him. Not at all. Enid was the next one to talk. She collected herself before letting her smile fall away for the first time since she entered.

"I'm conflicted."

She started, and her tone of voice caught the attention of the other two. From what she'd gathered, Enid was a girl who loved to live vivaciously. It was probably quite rare to hear such a morose tone from her. When she continued, it was in the same tone, though there was an immeasurable warmth in her voice.

"I love my sisters. Both of them, beyond anything. There isn't anything I wouldn't do for them. I am beyond glad to have them in my life. And that's why I'm conflicted. Because to come into my life, Dinah had to suffer. She had to be broken down and built up again. I love her with my whole heart, but she was damaged nearly beyond repair by this... Man. I wish she didn't have to go through all that, but whenever I think that, it rips me apart on the inside because that would mean she wouldn't be my sister..."

The way her face twisted as she described the dichotomy that was so well hidden beneath layers upon layers of joy tugged at Linda's heartstrings, even as her mind raced to support her in resolving what she felt. She finally decided how she wanted to go about it and hoped she hadn't misjudged anyone in the room. This wasn't turning out to be a usual first session at all and she admitted to herself that she felt a bit out of her depth.

"What you are conflicted about is that you don't know if you prioritise her presence in your life or her happiness. You feel selfish for wanting to stay close to her. Well, let's test this. What do you think you would do if that man, Thomas Calvert, was in front of you? If you could stop him from kidnapping...-"

That was as far as she got before her intuition told her to pause her speech. Carefully, she observed the girl and noticed a clear amber sheen in her eyes. They were narrowed and her growing teeth were shown rather prominently as she snarled. The growl that left her throat was a deep and guttural sound, not at all human in nature. Despite the extreme reaction, Linda smiled. It was a close-lipped one since she didn't want to agitate the child's more canine instincts by showing her teeth.

"There you go. That's your answer."

She told the near-feral child. The response stood in such contrast to the situation that it took the wind out of Enid's sails. She tilted her head adorably and released a questioning whine, showing that she wasn't completely in control. Linda decided to answer the implied question anyways.

"Clearly you'd do everything to protect her from her fate. While your conscious mind was split on the topic, your subconscious has already decided. If you could change the past and make sure she lives happily ever after, you'd do it. And while there are some truly powerful entities out there who might just be capable of achieving such a thing, I don't think that's what she'd want."

She glanced at the girl in question who had gone completely still, listening to her words.

"You see, we are the sum of our experiences. We are shaped by our lives just as much as we shape the lives of those around us. Our existence is an exceedingly complex web of interplaying events that affect far more than we perceive on the surface. A small kindness can turn an entire life around. An unkind word may have far more impact on someone's psyche than we anticipated, which in turn can affect this person's family and friends."

She alternated her gaze between the two girls. They were so very bright. The concepts she was talking about weren't easy to grasp at all, especially for children, but neither looked confused. They were listening silently, digesting what she was telling them. And so she continued. She hadn't made her point yet.

"The myriad of interactions and events in our lives all leave varying degrees of impact on us and form the people we are. We decide what we make of ourselves, but behind our conscious decisions, there is a subconscious mind that gives us unnoticed input based on our experiences. We are beautifully diverse. Everyone is different and no two are completely alike. It is one of the things besides helping people that has drawn me to the field of psychology. I want to understand people and help them understand themselves. What Dinah went through will leave an indelible mark on her. But she survived. She pulled through where others would have without a doubt shattered. Despite the horrible circumstances, it is part of who she is now. And if anyone gets to decide what's going to happen with her life, it's her."

She knew this approach wasn't ideal. It wasn't how she should have dealt with this according to both, her knowledge and her experience. They were children and shouldn't have been capable of following her thoughts. But... The mental health of supernatural folks was oftentimes far more erratic than those of the mundane variety. And that included their maturity. It made dealing with their problems far more volatile and textbook treatments failed more often than not. It also made working with them intuitive in a way that mundane psychology just wasn't. Those facts didn't change that what she'd done here was so far off the usual rails, she might as well travel by boat instead. 'Why then does it feel right?' She asked herself as she held Dinah's gaze. Finally, she grunted almost inaudibly. Her eyelids relaxed and she slowly, consciously, closed them for an extended blink before turning away and snuggling into her father.

'That... Was adorable.' She allowed herself to think. In the meantime, the person whom she'd addressed with this speech had calmed herself enough to use human language again and she looked completely embarrassed by her outburst.

"I... I'm sorry! I-... I don't know what came over me! One moment I was listening to you and the next, there was this... This overwhelming need to protect, to defend against... Well, you. But not really you! Promise!"

She tried to explain herself while looking mortified, contrite, embarrassed, and close to tears all at once. Linda's lips tilted upwards into a gentle smile before she answered calmly.

"If anyone had to apologise it's me, Enid. I pushed that button intentionally to make you realise your true feelings on the matter. Protecting your Pack is never wrong. Just try and be in control when it happens again. Not only will you be able to avoid doing something you might later regret, but you'll also be able to use your abilities more effectively."

Enid relaxed back into her space and snuggled into her father's side. She took her words at face value, which was how they were meant. With both children pacified, she turned to Lucifer, and he didn't look happy at all.

"Doctor Martin."

He spoke her title with a certain amount of contemplation. As if he was deciding if she was worthy of it or not. It was a fair response. From their conversations over phone, she knew he had a good and solid grounding in pediatric psychology. The amount of literature he had consumed on the topic along with his intellect made sure of that. He wasn't sure what to make of her it seemed. A wry smile appeared on her lips. She knew her way around orthodox psychology. She did earn her degree after all. But sometimes, she just knew that the classic textbook approach would fail. She just didn't know how to explain herself without seeming exceedingly unprofessional.

Lucifer's judging gaze was pulled away from her when the girl in his lap tugged at his shirt. Dinah was completely relaxed as she lazily looked up at her father.

"Stop it, will you? She had a reason for doing it like this."

He was conflicted it seemed. He was clearly still agitated but one of his daughters had made a request and he could fulfill it. It wasn't until Enid pulled on his sleeve too to get his attention that he decided what he was going to do.

"Uhm, I think it's ok. She didn't do it to be mean, but to help. And I do feel better now that I know without a doubt which choice I'd make if I was presented with one. It's simple really. Ask Dinah because it's her life."

That earned her the tiniest of smiles before the brunette child went back to laze on Lucifer's lap. She wasn't quite done persuading her father though.

"92.121% that she is a psychic with abilities based on intuition. Around the same for the possibility that she doesn't know about it. Basically, she uses it instinctively to help people. Also, she's a bit like you. She doesn't dumb herself down when talking to us. It's refreshing. I like her."

After saying her part, she yawned and curled in a way that suggested that she was readying herself for a nap. The man finally calmed down after he heard that and looked at her with a sigh.

"I may have... Slightly overreacted. I will not apologise for defending my daughter from a perceived charlatan, but I will acknowledge that my response may have been out of proportion."

His eyes dared her to argue against him. And in a way, she did. Because she shook her head. After seeing his eyes, she was almost certain that he was who he claimed to be. 'And I still knowingly antagonised him. Am I suicidal?' She put that thought away and backed up her gestures with words.

"It wasn't. You defended your children. For a being of your stature, that response was actually quite measured. I commend you for the restraint you showed. I'm fairly certain if the roles were reversed, you'd be a puddle on the ground."

He looked surprised for a moment before he chuckled while shaking his head. Instead of answering, he gathered the second girl onto his lap, who wasted no time latching on to him and Dinah, before leaning back into the couch again.

"Fine. I am not happy with your approach, but it seems my daughters take no offense, so I will not do so either. As for sharing something of myself, well, I guess I can say that for the first time in eons, I feel rather close to some of my family again. Azrael kind of moved in with us and Amenadiel visits several times a week. It's been nice and vexing in equal measures to have their steady influence in my life again, and I adore the fact that they fell to my daughter's charms just as quickly as I did."

Shelving her minor existential crisis over the fact that she apparently was a psychic, she nodded and decided it was her time. Everyone shared something quite personal. That wasn't the usual procedure but they didn't seem to care at all. They did things their own way and she wouldn't begrudge them that. Once one of them trusted, the others seemed to follow. So since they were so open, she decided to share something a bit closer to her chest too. Before she could even open her mouth however, Enid's eyes lit up and she smiled up at her father.

"Hey, let's invite Uncle Amy!"

Lucifer's eyes widened and he looked alarmed. Less than a second later, she realised why. Enid had her eyes closed and her hands folded and suddenly, a bright flash lightened up the room. A tall and muscular man appeared in her office. His glorious Wings were on full display, but her eyes were drawn to his muscle-bound form instead. 'Tall, dark, and handsome... I can certainly see the resemblance.' Once again, she had to force herself to hide her thoughts behind a facade of professionalism. The sound of a palm meeting a forehead drew her attention back to Lucifer, who seemed more than just a little annoyed.

"Will you please put them away now that you decided to... Grace us with your presence? And since we are on that topic, whyever did you decide to arrive once again without scanning the surroundings first? What happened to your fixation on hiding the Divine from mortals? It was one of the few tolerable aspects you called your own."

The man who went by Amenadiel, or Uncle Amy apparently, crossed his arms as he shrugged his Wings away, much to her well hidden disappointment.

"I did check, but your presence kinda blanked out everyone else. Your self-control is rather lacking nowadays. Maybe a holiday would do you some good? You do seem high strung lately."

She watched in fascination as two ancient Celestial beings began to squabble like pubescent boys in her office, much to the amusement of Enid. Dinah seemed to have decided to postpone her nap and watched on with interest too. The hint of a smile that seemed to hide in the corner of her lips was well supported by how the tension around her eyes relaxed ever so slightly. Reading that girl was a real challenge. When she wanted to hide something, it wasn't easily discovered. After some minutes, they seemed to wind down and Amenadiel turned to greet her.

"Where are my manners. My name is Amenadiel, and I am the older brother of that walking conundrum sitting on your couch. It's a pleasure to meet you."

His handshake was firm. His grasp was warm and not too tight. His eyes were brown too, but darker than his brother's, almost black really. Still, they were filled with warmth and the smile on his lips was a handsome one. 'Down, girl.' She told herself as she returned his smile with a pleasant one of her own.

"He's not that bad. Just really protective. As long as I don't endanger those he claimed as his, I'll be fine. My name is Linda Martin. Please call me Linda."

His smile transformed slightly, gaining the edge of a smirk without fully transitioning. It did things to her stomach that she hadn't felt in quite a while. She decided to distract herself before it was too late.

"Oh, and I do know about the Divine, actually. I haven't made contact with any of the Abrahamic Pantheon before you, but I do have some... experience with the Mayan one from my time at college."

She let them draw their own conclusions and continued.

"As much as it was a joy meeting you, since this is officially a therapy session, I will have to ask you to wait outside. That is, if you don't want to join them on the roster of my patients?"

He looked at her for a long moment with an unreadable gaze before he let his lips fall onto an easy and honest smile that somehow fit far better onto them than the near-smirk from earlier.

"No. I will not join them. I will wait outside. But maybe we could schedule a more... Private meeting? Possibly for dinner tomorrow at 8?"

Before she could answer affirmatively, the exasperated voice of Lucifer cut through the atmosphere.

"Will you stop flirting with my therapist?"

A mischievous twinkle entered Amenadiel's eyes as he answered without turning around.

"No, I don't think I will."

And that was that. He winked at her before turning for the door.

"7:30 would fit my schedule better. If you could collect me from here, I'd appreciate it."

He stopped for a moment before resuming his trek. And she was certain she didn't imagine the additional pep on his steps. Awkwardly, she turned to face the half-lidded eyes of Lucifer. He looked decidedly unamused. That was until Enid began to giggle, shortly followed by an amused huff from Dinah. The way his eyes softened when they fell on the two girls in his lap was breathtaking. 'The Devil truly is a good father.' Was her conclusion. Because now that she knew his brother was an actual Angel, he couldn't really be anything else but what he claimed to be. And somehow she was kind of ok with that.

~Lucifer~

He resisted the urge to scratch at his chest. Dealing with pain was easy. It was an old companion. He'd almost call it a friend. His resistance to agony was exceedingly high, having suffered his fair share of it. The thing that made him want to leave his skin behind was different though. It was a torment of a different kind. Something he didn't even know was possible. His Grace itched. How exactly did an actualised concept itch?! It was a terrible sensation with no way of alleviation except for using it in short understated bursts, and even that only helped for some minutes.

Trying to distract himself, he thought back to the absolute emotional rollercoaster their first 'therapy' session ended up being. The rest of the hour after his brother left was filled with tentative but pleasant conversation. Privately, he admitted that at least part of his contenptuous reaction could be attributed to his healing Grace. His Infernalis was already filled and ready to be used again after consuming the lingering Sin of Los Angeles. Ironically for a place called the city of angels, it was the home of a massive amount of sinners. Not all of them were lost sheep as some would have wanted to claim, and sinning did not damn souls or anything like that.

Every person had committed some Sins in their lives. The degree of it and the motivation behind it were far more important than the act itself. Flying into a rage for example was part of the Sin of Wrath. But there was a significant difference in doing so because something untoward happened to your sister in comparison to being drunk out of your mind and beating on your wife. The first may land in Hell for his own guilt but he would have been received far more gently. The second one however would get an extensive... Tour of the place.

He almost winced when his Grace flared. This sensation was far harder to ignore than simple pain. Forcefully, he turned his thoughts back to the matter of his reaction while continuing to telekinetically form burger patties for today's lunch. It was what Enid wished for and the others agreed. It wasn't that his Infernalis influenced his thoughts or anything pedestrian like that. Instead, he had just drawn in large swathes of Sin to be ready should they suffer an attack, unlikely as it was. That made his temper a tad more volatile than usual. His precious daughters had a good handle on him though and he was glad for it.

With a hint of exasperation, his thoughts went to his brother. The muscle-bound moron had once again flashed in after demonstrating his severely lacking sensing capabilities. And promptly began to talk up his psychiatrist. She was far more responsive to it than she should have been. After all, she managed to resist him. He didn't intentionally put on the charm or anything like it. That would have felt cheap and unnecessary, and he had a vague feeling of guilt at the mere thought of doing so. 'Interesting... Whyever would I feel guilty for something I didn't even do?' He pondered before shelving the thought.

Still, she managed to withstand him perfectly fine, but as soon as his brother appeared, she seemed spell-bound. Something was afoot and he would find out what it was. He would also make sure his brother chose the right form of dress and took her out into a classy establishment. He booked an evening in a well hidden but fabulous exclusive Italian place for them. The owner still owed him a favour and he supposed he could collect on it for his brother. As far as he knew, this was the very first entanglement of this kind that his brother had and he worried that Amenadiel's appalling lack of charm would paint him in a bad light. As such he would endeavour to support him to make sure he wouldn't 'royally fuck it up' as someone more uncouth would phrase it.

'Perfectly cooked.' He thought to himself after testing the burgers, satisfied with his culinary achievements. Little Beatrice chose this moment to announce their imminent arrival via prayer. It didn't matter how often he told them that his Celestial nature wasn't a replacement for a phone. They still prayed for every little thing anyways. Be it to prattle on about their days or because they wanted to be collected after a day in school. That was another regular occurrence that somewhat baffled him. Detective Chloe Decker knew without a hint of doubt that he was The Devil. And yet, her trust in him seemed to grow instead of dwindling to nothing.

It couldn't have been his innate nature since her own brand of Divinity in the form of a Miracle long since immunised her against that kind of mental influence. Her trust was given out of her Free Will. And It was in equal parts exhilarating and terrifying. He wanted to live up to it, and he wholeheartedly endeavoured to do so, but he couldn't guarantee to not overstep any of those pesky invisible lines mortals so often had. Though to be fair, he had some too. Things that were capable of agitating or outright enraging him were they to be brought up.

Her trust was expressed in the form of him having absolutely unlimited contact to the most precious person in her life. She trusted him with her daughter. And he was humbled, because it meant even more than being trusted with her life. To protect Beatrice, she'd die a thousand deaths after all. Today was a half day off for the Detective and that meant of course that she gathered her spawn herself. She offered to take Enid too for a 'girl's day out' and she even remembered to invite his most recent daughter, though the latter decided against the outing, opting to instead nap on the kitchen counter.

He let a fond and faintly worried gaze wander over her. She was sleeping an awful lot. From the trusted pediatrician he had called a favour from, he knew that it was normal to sleep much of her time when she felt she was in a safe environment. It just so happened that for some unfathomable reason, any environment that included him or the walking sun Enid counted as safe in her eyes. Her near-inaudible sleeping sounds echoed loudly in his ears, reminding him of what she had to go through until she reached him so that he could shelter her. His protective intent caused his Grace to stir and he quietly hushed it. Of course he would make sure nothing bad happened to her. He didn't need the reminder. Not to mention that that terrible itch was still there. He was just a tad resentful for it. That caused a flare of indignation and he wondered when he had begun to argue with himself. It was a strange sensation really.

The thought was amusing but it wasn't really true. His Grace and his Infernalis were both equal parts of him. They were aspects of his Self that were actualised from a Concept. Twisted and malformed as it had become over the time he existed. Though that was what it meant to live, he supposed. To change and sometimes grow from one's experiences. As the burgers assembled themselves into the favourites of his guests, who would soon arrive, he allowed the scent to gently wake Dinah.

The daughter in question grunted softly before surreptitiously breathing in the aromas. He smiled under his breath as he watched her throw him a grumpy look from the corner of his eyes. She didn't protest the gentle wake up call however. Especially after surviving several of Enid's more... enthusiastic ones. A soft grumble drew his attention to the freshly awakened one.

"They'll be home soon?"

She asked, her voice still a bit heavy from sleep. She did nap for a bit less than three hours after all. Just up and plopped herself onto the counter with one of Enid's pillows and a blanket, and watched him work silently until she dozed off. Which wasn't a rare thing to happen, all things considered. She was a quiet one and opted to observe far more often than to interact. She didn't often initiate conversation, generally keeping her thoughts to herself. When she did decide to offer her opinion however, it was usually an insightful one. Because while she didn't often speak, she listened.

At his confirmation, she stretched in a decidedly feline way that made her body pop in several places, and jumped off the counter. He thought she would toddle off to her room to freshen up a bit, so he didn't pay much attention, which was why her sudden hug from the side caught him a bit off guard.

"Thanks for being there."

She breathed out, unheard by any other but them. In lieu of answering verbally, he placed his hand on her head and channeled a hint of his Grace. He learned that the resonance between them helped her calm herself and after making sure that there wouldn't be any adverse effects, he continued doing so from time to time. The tender moment wasn't designed to last as they heard an almighty crash and a slightly panicked 'I'm ok! The wall isn't though...' from the hallway. He shared a wry smile with one of his daughters about the antics of the other and pulled out his phone with practiced ease to call his contractor. It didn't take long for someone to pick up.

"Ah yes, good evening to you too, Momo-san. Well, I find myself in a pickle. My daughter decided the hallway wasn't quite big enough for her and used her body as a wrecking ball to... Let's say expand it. I would like to ask for some assistance from Marumaru's crew. Of course, the remuneration will be as handsome as usual. Thank you. I will expect the workers tomorrow."

Enid, who had entered the room halfway through the conversation, looked at him with teary eyes and cheeks flaming from embarrassment. Well, she had to live with that if she wasn't careful enough to leave the house standing. The indulgent smile he sent her didn't abate her state of mind at all. The blush spread further and her whine was nearly lupine in nature. It was music in his ears.

"Daaaaad!"

Despite the hiccups recently, he enjoyed his life more than he did the past few millennia. And it was the new people in his life who were the driving force behind that change. He fully intended to hold them responsible for it by having them stay close. It was the least he could demand from them for making The Devil feel.

~Delilah McCord~

When the man who styled himself as The Devil called in his favour, she didn't know what to think of it other than experiencing a sudden bout of anxiety and trepidation. He called her over to his place. She'd heard that he was planning to build a children's playground there, which was an odd thought. She started out her career with him as her 'manager' for a few months before he handed the responsibility to Lucian Ramoldni, a friend of his who did his best to help her build up her image in the two years he had left in him before retiring. That meant that she knew just how... promiscuous he could be. Imagining him with a gaggle of kids following him around was almost funny and bizarre enough to pull her out of her funk.

Not quite though, as her mind began supplying her with all kinds of strange scenarios of what he would demand from her. Some of which did admittedly cause a tension of a different kind. She doubted that would happen since he was very big on informed and unpressured consent from what she'd seen. As she was standing in the elevator, waiting for it to arrive at its destination, her fears fell away. She knew him. He was flirty and blunt. Never held back on criticism. Was a surprisingly mesmerising singer, far better than her. And he always did right by her ever since she asked for a favour once upon a time. There was no reason to believe he'd mistreat her. And to be honest, she could use some help to pick herself up.

After Lucian decided to retire, several other producers vied for her attention. Jimmy Barnes seemed the most competent among the lot. And for a while, that impression held true. She even enjoyed being wooed by him and nearly married the man. In hindsight, her increasing reliance on him had been a mistake. Oh, he still seemed pleasant enough after she called off the wedding, which should have been a warning sign in and of itself. Naive as she was, she thought he simply was a good sport about it. Instead, he led her onto a slowly escalating road of self-destruction that ended in drugs. Once she realised, it was already too late. A long and emotional talk with her mom made her aware of what was done to her, but fixing herself was harder said than done. Not to mention that he still had a presence in her life, being her producer thanks to the extensive blackmail he collected on her. If anything of it came out, her career would be over. Recently, she was seriously considering if that wouldn't be for the best. She had her minutes of fame and it honestly wasn't all it was made out to be.

The bright pling that announced her arrival at the target floor effectively pulled her from her thoughts. The door opened and she laid her eyes on... some workers repairing a hole in the wall with practiced movements. 'There's a story behind that.' She thought to herself and made a note to inquire about it later.

"Is that you, little songstress? Come through, darling, and meet your padawan."

A small smile tugged on her lips at hearing his old nickname for her. Though the tone he called her with was somewhat different than usual, it still woke up feelings of familiarity. 'Padawan, though?' Confusion and amusement coloured that thought and she decided to simply face the music with some theories already forming. She quickly put them to the back of her mind though. She'd find out soon enough anyways. As she walked past the workers, she noticed the nonhuman traits like cat ears and fox tails on them. They also looked to be Asian so they were probably yokai. Smiling politely at the one who threw her a glance, she received a friendly smirk in return before he turned his attention back to his work.

Soon, the hallway opened up into a warm and homely living room with a large table. Her eyes were drawn to the teapot that was releasing a pleasant aroma reminding her of spring and it mixed well with the heavenly smell of those little pastries that were also part of the spread on the table. Around it, there were several people seated. The first one she noticed was a rather pretty woman with a clear 'no-nonsense' attitude who sat beside Lucifer. Fidgeting in their seats were two little girls, one of which looked as if she came straight out of a fever dream.

She seemed to have the ambition to fit as many colours as possible onto her little frame and she managed to do so quite well. The friendly grin on her face and the merry glow in her eyes clued her in that she was probably one of those permanently happy people. She did seem far more genuine than most others she knew, though. The other girl was far less psychedelic, being dressed in a purple sweater with some glittery planets printed on its chest, but she had a similar energy to her. What caught her attention was that this one whispered her stage name with a heavy dose of surprise and elation in her eyes. 'A fan then.' She mused before turning her attention to the next one. There was a third child, and she wasn't fidgeting.

Instead, she stared. And not in the way a fan did. No, her stare was a dissection. She felt caught in those piercing eyes and wasn't able to look away. A cough from Lucifer saved her as the girl scoffed and looked away, still glaring but now ignoring her existence completely. 'What was that about?...' She found herself wondering and turned her confused eyes onto Lucifer, who smiled at her somewhat apologetically before gesturing to the seat across from him. Tentatively, she sat down which seemed to be the signal for verbal communications to start while two of the three girls began to dig into the pastries with wild abandon with the third halfheartedly nibbling on one after it was handed to her by the blonde child.

"You are here because I want to call in the favour I am owed."

His dramatic voice and grandstanding gesture coupled with the serious look in his eyes made her correct her posture and listen to him. For half a second, she thought she might have spied a smile on the corner of his lips but if it was ever there, it disappeared before she could have been sure.

"For half a year, I want you to instruct little Beatrice here twice a week. She has the unfortunate habit of praying to me, and doing so while performing the warcrime she calls singing. The unfortunate part of it is the fact that I could use her voice as high level mental torture in Hell. In fact, I have already sent down a recording and the first trials have produced damning results."

She ignored the silently whispered 'awesome...' from the girl in question and concentrated on the woman who was getting ready to talk. They switched seamlessly, showing an understanding of each other that she would have liked in a partner too. What followed after Lucifer's worrying statement was a series of rules and questions, stated and asked by the woman who was apparently the mother of Beatrice. Chloe Decker was a deeply passionate woman. Her drive to keep her daughter safe was something to be admired. At least she would do so if it didn't lead to her being grilled about every aspect of her life. She also could have done without the threatening statement that she was a police detective and that one step out of line would have consequences she really didn't want.

The conversation was exhausting but somehow, she felt a bit lighter for it afterwards. She did admit to some of the things she wasn't proud of but in a way the little ones hopefully wouldn't understand. All the while, Lucifer was observing her with an unreadable gaze. Afterwards as the topics became a bit more light-hearted, Chloe quickly showed that she really was pleasant company when she wasn't on a warpath to keep her daughter safe. Trixie, as she introduced herself, began to bombard her with all kinds of questions with Enid's support. She always loved the childish enthusiasm of her younger fans and tried to match them if possible. In that vein, her afternoon was spent far more pleasantly than she anticipated and she felt thankful once again for what Lucifer had done for her. She needed a somewhat carefree day to recharge after weeks of stress. Even as he called in her favour, he ended up helping her. With a heartfelt thanks, she took her leave. She still had a meeting with Jimmy to attend to and she needed to get ready.

As she left the room, she was stopped by Dinah, who had left silently some time earlier without her noticing. The girl who unnerved her far more than Detective Decker called after her.

"If you go out there alone, you'll die. Take it from a Seer and deal with the information as you want. Maybe you want to tempt Fate?"

That ominous statement was the first time she addressed her. Startled, she looked back and saw the brunette leaning against the wall. Her eyes scrutinised her in a way that made her feel inadequate.

"Wh- why are you looking at me like that?..."

She couldn't help but ask. It was a strange sensation to feel this small in front of a young child. That feeling intensified when she continued talking. Her tongue was as sharp as a knife and it stabbed her just where it hurt.

"You want to know why? Since I'm in a generous mood, I'll enlighten you. I despise weak-willed people. And what else are you but a prime example of the species? All it took for you to fall into addiction was some sweet-talking. How pathetic can you be? And the naivety to listen to your ex of all people... I really don't know what Lucifer saw in you. Your only ability is to sing somewhat adequately and he helped you to make a career out of it. How do you pay him back for gracing you with his favour? By ruining your life. I don't think I can truly loathe you. That would be far too invested an emotion. It would be wasted on someone like you. Instead, I think there is some pity left over that I'll attribute to you."

Struck silent by the venom in her voice, she observed her through a sheen of tears not yet ready to fall while her insides twisted into themselves. True to her words, her visage was soon warped into a caricature of pity even as her eyes continued to shine with scorn. Never would she have thought that an emotion designed to transmit a sense of compassion could ever seem so callous. She flinched backwards from the visceral rawness of the moment, causing the hint of a smirk to flit over the girl's lips. She then closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them again, they were impassive and disconnected. Without inflection, she casually let her know that her life was on a knife's edge.

"I debated if I should simply not say anything. It would have been so easy to simply let you die. The hired guns would shoot you and you wouldn't have a chance to infect my sisters with your utterly weak personality. All I'd have to do was do nothing. But... Enid wouldn't condone this. She thinks that everyone deserves a chance to prove themselves. To be accepted for who they are and grow from it. And Trixie is even less complicated. She simply doesn't want people to die. Especially those she knows and likes. Naive fools, the two of them..."

Despite her words, she couldn't suppress the fondness in her voice and Delilah understood. She was trying to protect her sisters in her own way. It was that moment that made her decide. She was humming and hemming for a while if she should quit the showbiz. To make a clean break since all she achieved was becoming miserable and making good headway into ruining her life irreparably. The fact that this little girl saw the need to intimidate her away from her sisters because she may be a bad influence was a wake-up call. A heartbreaking one at that.

She ignored the traumatic message that her survival only won out over the lethal alternative by a hair. At least for now. As for whether she believed her or not? Well, the girl had that kind of gravitas she'd come to expect from psychics. She met her fair share of those. Some were fans and some were in the industry. The latter were mostly those with abilities based in numbers. The show business was mostly math anyways. How many people would have their expectations broken to pieces once they learned of that little fact?

"Well done, Dinah. It wouldn't have been the approach I'd gone for, but I guess the results will speak for themselves."

The silent and slightly amused voice of Lucifer came from behind the girl who had confronted her. For the first time this evening, she was easy to read. There was a hint of red on her cheeks and her eyes were wide open from mortification. Clearly she hadn't planned for Lucifer to listen in. It was almost funny, but then she remembered that there was a non-zero chance for her to die, and all the humour left her.

"I talked it over with the Detective already. I'll go out with you while she tails us and when the shooters show, I'll disarm them and she'll take them into custody. Attempted murder charges should make those hired guns talk easily. I do admit I am curious who wants you dead."

The hint of orange in his eyes during that last sentence only solidified her suspicion that he was at the very least a powerful outcast. As he was talking about it in that deceptively mild tone of his, the fact that she was originally destined to die was beginning to sink in. Only her experience with acting on a stage in front of a crowd helped her stay in control. Otherwise she'd be a shivering mess. This really wasn't how she'd imagined today to go. What did it say about her life that even with death laying claim to her, it was still one of the better ones in the past few months?

Chapter Text

~Chloe Decker~

She sighed as she tried to keep at bay all the emotions she felt at this moment. It was an increasingly futile endeavour to keep up the mien of professionalism in front of the choice she had to make. On one hand was her sense of justice. An unerring calling that made her doggedly pursue the truth. It made her a damn good detective and she was proud of having inherited this particular trait from her late dad.

On the other hand was her compassion for Malcolm Graham's family. If she didn't close this case soon, and 24 hours soon at that, then they wouldn't see a cent of his pension, and neither would his insurance pay. It would most likely spell financial disaster for his family, especially since they wouldn't continue to receive his pay after he breathed his last. Because his wife, Melissa, had decided that she couldn't bear the emotional burden of keeping him alive any longer. She decided to turn off life-support. And It would happen soon.

The woman already despised Chloe because she refused to close the case on the comatose man. She couldn't even hold it against her if she was being honest. And so here she was, two aspects of her morals warring with each other. She simply didn't know what to do and it was beginning to seriously fray her already taut nerves. The only reason she didn't fly off the handle already was the stable home life she was allowed to experience for the first time since she could remember.

Even just thinking of her daughter's bright smile, and Lucifer's amusement hidden by a heavy dose of exasperation in the face of the combined exuberance she brought to bear in tandem with Enid, did wonders for her mood. She imagined them sneaking around with some of the Hellhounds who had completely endeared themselves to her with their adorable antics. Or maybe they'd stalk Uncle Amy again to finally catch him singing to have a reference how good Trixie had to be to impress Lucifer? That particular obsession they had was a potent source of amusement, especially since no one thought of telling Amenadiel what this really was about.

She was startled from her somewhat cozy if distracting thoughts by the sudden addition of a slightly steaming cup to her workplace environment. As she raised her eyes, they met warm, chocolate brown ones, belonging to an objectively handsome man smiling down at her. 'Think of The Devil and he shall appear, apparently...' She thought bemusedly as she returned a tired smile that immediately put a worried frown onto his face. She didn't want to ruin his good mood but it sent a guilty spike of pleasure through her that he could sense her inner turmoil with a single look at her.

That attentive nature he so often demonstrated made her... She shelved the thought for later introspections, lest she'd lose herself in it. Instead, she took a whiff of the brew he presented her with and nearly moaned at the heavenly scent. She managed to keep it to a breathy sigh as she latched on to the cup and took a sip. Perfectly brewed coffee entered a symbiosis with just a hint of hazelnut and vanilla. Not too sweet and not too bitter, the taste spread on her tongue first and quickly suffused her entire being.

She once had Italian coffee at an authentic little coffeeshop hidden away in a small alleyway in New York. Up to this moment, that one was the best coffee she'd ever had. Well, not anymore. Whoever made this heavenly brew needed to be promoted. This time there was no suppressing the moan that escaped her throat, though she managed to keep its volume down. A small flare of satisfaction flashed through her when she spied the negligible pink dusting on Lucifer's cheeks. It was a challenge and a half to somehow fluster him, but when she did manage to get a rise out of him, it felt like a victory. One she bitterly needed. 'And the worry is back. How does he read me so well?' With his voice a comforting rumble shared only between the two of them, he asked.

"What plagues you so, Detective? I could hear your mind from all the way over there by the elevator. Something has you conflicted, and I haven't even started making inappropriate jokes about the working environment yet. Maybe you should share your burden? I might be capable of providing a viewpoint you haven't considered yet?"

"What the Hell. Can't hurt I guess.' And with that thought, she shared her woes with her new-found partner. Which was another story entirely. A short one though. He charmed his way into the role of a Civilian Consultant and immediately afterwards glued himself to her side with a proud and frankly adorable smirk on his face. Which made it really hard to be angry at him for failing to inform her about it beforehand. That happened a week ago right after they apprehended the gangbangers and consequently Jimmy Barnes for targeting Trixie's new singing teacher Delilah McCord. She was on the fence in regards to that girl, but Lucifer vouched for her and argued that she only needed a chance to prove herself, so she'd give her the benefit of doubt for the moment. Her thoughts and her summary concluded nearly at the same time.

"So... That's the gist of it. A moral dilemma for idealistic little me."

She finished her recounting and smiled wrily at him. His thoughtful frown clued her in that he was seriously considering her problems and that was already more than Dan could ever claim. It warmed her up in that special way she had to force herself to ignore as of late. When he finally turned his attention back to her, he seemed determined.

"My suggestion is the following. We make a little trip over to the place it all happened and look around to see if we find something. If we don't, you close the case and we continue our investigation privately. If we do find something, we'll see what we'll do then. The one thing I want you to know is that you will not have to compromise on your morals and neither on your view of justice. We will find a way to deal with this and make everyone content. Well, except for the corrupt coma guy and to a lesser degree his family, I suppose."

He added as an afterthought, and confirmed that he trusted her opinion on the matter unequivocally, making the warm feelings grow. As for the plan, it wasn't perfect but it was the best one she'd heard today. The other was 'Just drop it, for God's sake! Why do you want to ruin a family with your hounding!' That... suggestion wasn't viable from her perspective, but it did exacerbate her guilty conscience from making the life of Graham's wife and son that much harder.

"So you are the guy who's been sniffing around my family? Stay the hell away from my daughter!"

The air stilled and she panicked. Lucifer was far more in control than she'd expected from a Being thriving on Sin, but he was still very much an undying entity that really didn't like others talking down at him. Especially if they were self-righteous morons like her ex. The answer came in a silken tone of voice that reminded her of a panther waiting to strike.

"Ah, if it isn't the neglectful sanctimonious douche who's pastime it is to make his daughter cry and to belittle his betters."

She watched as he smoothly straightened from his position slouched over her desk and followed his movements as he turned gracefully to face Dan. He looked down at him as if what he was seeing was only barely human. Dan bristled but, much to her surprise, kept a lid on his temper. If only barely. 'Self-preservation kicked in I guess.' She mused with a bit of anxiety clawing at her insides. She'd managed to avoid this standoff a whole week, but it was bound to happen. She just hoped Dan wouldn't let his big mouth run away from him.

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

He clamoured and somehow managed to already sound defensive about it. So he was aware of the issues and simply didn't care enough?

"Oh, nothing much. Just the fact that you alone are the driving force behind the bitter and repeated heartbreak of your daughter, her steadily developing trust issues, and a plethora of other building issues she's trying to deal with on her own. You have much to answer for, Daniel Espinoza. And you can start by apologising to your daughter."

The authority with which he'd began to dress him down took the wind out of Dan's sails for a moment and the way he flinched back was far too satisfying to watch. Having his failings listed like this seemed to have rattled him a bit. Some moments later, he managed to get some bluster back and his eyes narrowed with anger at being called out clearly visible in his stance.

"Who do you think you are?! This is my daughter, so you will stay the hell away from her! If you don't want to deal with restraining orders and...-"

The sizable spark of anger she always had to deal with when interacting with her ex was precariously close to exploding. How dare he threaten the only real paternal influence in her little monkey's life with legal actions? She decided to intervene before things could go any further. Right now, she still had the presence of mind to stay somewhat civil. That would have likely changed over the next few seconds.

"Think long and hard before you continue in that line of thought. And I suggest you leave now before you say something you won't have the time to regret. Oh, and in regards to legal actions, I'll just say look at the statistics for cases with mothers filing for full custody. Especially when the father is as absent in the child's life as you are."

She looked him in the eyes with a hard glint that softened slightly when she saw the hurt and confusion in his.

"Look. I don't want to cut you out of her life. Not at all. The opposite is the case, actually. Hell knows I tried everything to include your reluctant arse in our outings and family time. But if you continue to spread baseless accusations and fail to acknowledge the very valid point Lucifer made, I'll have to consider it. Don't you realise that the man who you felt threatened by just handed you an olive branch? That he basically invited you to make amends to your daughter? And that's how you react? Dan, I know that deep... Deep inside there is a good man and a halfway decent father. But if you can't push past your ego long enough to acknowledge your mistakes, then I really don't think you'd be a good influence for our daughter."

It felt good to air this and the admiring glint in Lucifer's eyes when he glanced at her added a small thrill to it. They'd made plans to deal with her issues, she got to drink a cup of coffee that ruined her for all others, and she even managed to maybe possibly get Dan to think about his life choices if the contemplative and pained look on his face as he left meant what she thought it meant. Barely twenty minutes ago, she was on the cusp of tearing some of her hairs out from frustration and now she actually felt somewhat balanced. A small glance at the guardian Devil besides her made her smile to herself. Who'd have thunk that having the Devil in her life was good for her mental health?

~Lucifer~

"So this is the break you needed?"

He curiously asked the wondrous creature in front of him. She had a broad grin on her full lips and a happy glint in her eyes. The badge as well as the bullet casing she had secured in an evidence bag were the newest clues they'd found. How those were missed by law enforcement was a mystery to Lucifer. Sure, the place they found them in was well hidden, but if they did a thorough job in sweeping through the building, it should have been discovered. 'Apparently, they didn't do a good job then.' He thought with a sardonic edge as he considered what this meant. It was entirely likely that it was an intentional oversight by whoever was the one to shoot and drop their badge. If it was, then they were sloppy though. How could they have left behind incriminating evidence like this? That was just bad taste, wasn't it? That wasn't really what was important however. They had to consider was what influence this would have on the Detective's case.

The obvious change in the narrative was that there was another cop present that day. This opened up a fair few new possibilities, and none of them were very flattering for the force. Things weren't really all that straightforward anymore and to discover what really happened, they'd most likely need more time than 24 hours. They'd soon need to decide what they were going to do, but for the moment he let her wallow in the euphoria of taking a step towards the truth. He'd be by her side and see this through till the end. 'That's what a partner is supposed to do, right?' He mused as he watched her walk out of the warehouse with a spring in her step. Throwing a playful look over her shoulder she called out.

"Come on, oh Lord of Hell. There are Sinners to punish and children to be taken care of. Priorities are not necessarily in that order, though."

After those words, she disappeared around the corner and his lip quirked up amusedly. He still hurried along though. She was right after all. Little Beatrice and his Morningstar were in the not so tender care of a recovering Maze, and he asked Dinah to make sure that they didn't go overboard. A futile endeavour to be sure, but if it did keep her awake for some hours, he'd count it as a win. He hurried over to the car she persisted they'd take since she claimed she couldn't always ride in his arms. He didn't even need to make the joke before she realised what she'd said and shot him a scathing glare that made his already in place smirk widen, and her cheeks reddened just a hint when he sent an overstated lascivious wink her way. This wasn't the moment to think about such things however, since she once again looked at him seriously and her eyes were astonishingly open. More so than he'd ever seen from her as of yet.

"Thank you for having my back in this. And for being so good with Trixie. And for making my life bearable after feeling like it beat me down just a few times too often. There are so many things I have to thank you for, I don't think you even realise just how much of an impact you had on us. You swooping into our existence like a feathered Celestial typhoon was the best thing that could have happened to us. I... I just wanted to make sure you know that."

He watched her, enraptured as she blushed and looked away. She wordlessly started the motor and began the drive to bring them back to the presinct, all the while she was probably acutely aware of his stare. He couldn't help it though. This was just too much of a novelty compared to the hate and distrust he gathered all around when he proved his identity. He was the best thing that could have happened to them? How could that possibly be the case? Or...'How bleak must their existence have been for that to be true?...' And it was true. He could tell that she meant every word. It was a novelty to hear such things, though recently not as much as it once had been.

'Is it truly alright? Can I call the devil-shaped space in their lives my home?' He asked himself and for once, he didn't have a clear answer. If they wanted him there, it was their good right. They had Free Will, and he certainly wasn't complaining about being appreciated. And if he was entirely honest, he wouldn't give it up without fighting fiercely for it should it ever become necessary. The Devil was nothing if not stubborn. And those people claiming him as part of their lives... Well, now they had to live with their decisions. Because if there was a choice at all for him, he wouldn't choose anything but staying by their sides. If he had to start a war for it? Well, it wouldn't be the first.

~Ella Lopez~

She took in the state of her laboratory and was satisfied with what she saw. Not quite state of the art, but close enough. Definitely better than what she had access to in Detroit. 'I should listen to the delusions in my mind more often. This is going to be awesome.' She thought with a bright grin and a tilted head. She did originally have some concerns about uprooting her life and moving to LA, but it felt refreshing and like the right step to take in hindsight. Of course, one of the leading reasons for moving was keeping an eye on her brother, but getting away from the stifling environment and her... questionable family in Detroit was always a plus. Her thoughts came to a rather sudden stop when the door behind her opened.

"Hey Francis, can you make a subtle inquiry for... You are far too attractive to be Francis. Wait, did I say that out loud? Oh, Lucifer is such a bad influence... Sorry, let's start over. I'm Detective Chloe Decker and you are not Francis."

Ella blinked. And then she did that again. She looked at the offered hand before taking it absentmindedly. There was quite a bit to unpack here and she didn't know where to start honestly. For example, the compliment. It was far more forward than she was used to. Was this an LA thing? She hadn't been complimented this honestly in forever. She was flattered for sure, especially since the person who gave it was quite the beauty herself. Still, it was just a tad awkward so she tried to fill the silence with chatter as she always did.

"Hi! The name's Ella Lopez. You missed Francis by about an hour. He gave me the tour and helped me settle in before hurrying to catch his flight to New York. In front of you, you see this department's newest addition! I replace Francis as the Forensic Pathologist with additional qualifications in supernatural biology. I'm also cleared for all kinds of lab work and I'm definitely no slouch on the coffee machine!"

As a response, the woman in front of her showed an odd quirk of her lip and wordlessly handed her a cup. Mesmerised by the aroma that reached her nostrils, she took a sip and released a sound that was entirely inappropriate for a work place environment. She could only hope not to be sacked for inappropriate behaviour in her first week on the job. That would be embarrassing. Incredulously, she stared at the as of yet unnamed Detective who just handed her a cup that nearly led her to nirvana. The quirk had grown into a smirk by now and she finally introduced herself.

"I'm one of the homicide detectives here. I guess that means we'll work together closely, huh? Might as well start on a friendly note then, right? I knew that Francis wouldn't be with us for long anymore but I thought he was supposed to leave some time next month. Oh, and if you didn't guess already, we have a coffee guy. He hasn't been here for long yet but he shows promise."

She nodded along and explained.

"Yeah, he was supposed to stay for some more weeks while I shadow him and learn my way around, but there was an urgent family emergency and he had to cut his stay short. He did take the time to show me around though, and he wrote me some notes so I should be fine to learn on the job. You have to introduce me to your coffee guy. I'd fill the morgue myself to have an in with someone capable of providing God's brew."

And in walked Sin on legs. Seriously, she wasn't picky in terms of appearance, often finding beauty in people thought conventionally unattractive. But the man that stepped into the room behind Chloe was objectively the most attractive piece of meat she'd ever seen. And he also was completely off limits judging from the look that settled on the unaware detective before he turned his attention to her with a warm smirk and a jovial glimmer in his eyes. 'Oh well, let's move past that episode.' She thought before any kind of attraction had time to settle.

"You have the wrong deity pegged as responsible for the cup in your hands, Ms. Lopez, was it? Lucifer Morningstar is my name and as you might guess now, its more of a Devil's home-brew. Filled with Sin and Temptation. But don't you worry, it's the fun kind."

He sent her a wink for good measure and she crossed her arms as well as she could with a cup of coffee in her hand while showing a bemused smile. The guy was good. His voice was smooth and he had that low-key sultry timbre down to a pat. Was he a method actor? She was just about to ask some questions when Chloe unknowingly cut her off with one of her own.

"Wait, you made this? I thought you just flashed over to Italy to get something authentic. Is there anything you can't do?"

'Flashed over to Italy?' She thought before inwardly shrugging. He wasn't the first supernatural being capable of teleporting she'd met.

"What can I say, Detective. I am a Devil of many talents. Especially if it caters to humanity's penchant for depravity. Maybe you want to a live demonstration? My bedroom is always unlocked for you."

He smiled at the woman in such a way that would make most examples of the female gender, and a fair few males, subconsciously drop their panties, and the only reaction he got out of her was a good-natured eyeroll and a small smile as she crossed her arms. 'Damn, girl. That's some grade A willpower right there!' She was impressed. Because she could feel the sexual tension between them. It was clear that there were sparks between them. She had a sixth sense for such things.

"You wish."

She ignored his 'Indeed!' and continued talking over it. Ella faded into the background a bit and gave them some space, for purely altruistic reasons of course. Well, not really. Watching their dynamic was fun and she needed a little something to lift her spirits after leaving behind all she knew. All that was missing were some snacks that went with her coffee while she observed their banter. As she let her gaze wander for a moment, she found what she was looking for. An open and half emptied pack of M&Ms. It wasn't her first choice among the infinite variety of sweets, but she didn't have access to her favourites so she'd have to make do.

"Are you sure you can handle me? I'm used to an eight year old on a sugar high. Can the Big Bad Devil be worse than that?"

In the background, she heard them continue their banter and she knew if she didn't want to miss anything important, she'd have to hurry. Applying the stealth skills she had cultivated through questionable means in her youth in Detroit, she hushed over to the package of sugary goodness and grabbed a chair along the way. Soon, she was situated comfortably with fantastic coffee, some much needed endorphin boosters, and a fun little 'dance' in front of her. She vaguely felt as if she was intruding, but on second thought, they were in her lab. They were intruding! Not that she minded but it was the principle of the matter. And if they decided to play their little flirting game in front of her? Well, that just meant she'd get to watch and derive amusement from it.

She turned to them just in time to notice the short flash of fondness in the eyes of the tall, dark, and otherworldly handsome stereotype before his expression shifted into something decidedly dangerous. It made her a bit hot under the collar and she wasn't even the target of his expression. She threw a handful of M&Ms into her gullet to calm down and continued to watch.

"Oh, you have no idea, Detective. I can be worse in all the best ways. Especially if I am... Properly motivated."

The silky purr with which he massaged their eardrums finally broke the calm facade and caused a small blush on her cheeks. She slightly avoided his twinkling eyes. Like a shark smelling blood, he wholeheartedly capitalised on the small sign of weakness. It was a losing game for her from that point on and she didn't manage to recover under his relentless onslaught of innuendos and double meanings. His repertoire was impressive. He was really good at making innocent comments sound like forbidden sins, she noted. So much so that she suddenly had the urge to clean up her kitchen with him close-by just to see what would happen. And she hadn't even used her new kitchen yet! There was nothing to clean! On that thought, Ella decided she was silent long enough. With a bright and genuine smile, she exclaimed.

"1 to 0 for Lucifer! Sorry Chloe, but this one goes to him. Is that a stage name by the way? You're a method actor, right?"

She (not so) smoothly transitioned into the first question she wanted to ask of him. Both of them were startled, obviously having forgotten where they were and that she existed, but she didn't take it personally. They were way too cute together to feel any kind of resentment over a minor thing like this. He gifted her a wry smile shared in by Chloe in response before answering with a meaningful quirk of his lips.

"God given I'm afraid."

His eyes darkened a bit before lightening again, hinting at hidden baggage, and his voice took on a hypnotic and curious tone as he stared into her eyes, locking her into place. 'Whoa, he's an intense one.' she thought to herself amusedly, not at all feeling threatened. She already had him coined as a good guy after all.

"Are you? Afraid, that is? Are you religious? Do you believe in God and the Devil? The one who created all, and the one who corrupted his creations? Who has all the sin and depravity on earth on his nonexistent conscience?"

His questions were asked in an innocent enough tone despite his intensity, but she sensed some hidden meaning in them. So she seriously considered the questions. After some moments of deliberation, she finally answered.

"I do believe. I believe that there is a God out there and that he has a plan we can't really follow with our tiny primate brains. As for the Devil? If God exists, it's likely that the Devil does too. But I think he gets a bad rap really. I mean, we humans manage to do some really nasty things all by ourselves and we prove all the time that we have just as much capacity for evil as we have for good."

She paused for a moment to pop some more colourful chocolate orbs into her mouth before offering some to her two guests, one of which gleefully helped himself while the other one politely declined with a bemused glance at Lucifer. She continued more seriously.

"We are all in the field to have seen some gruesome shit I think, so you know what I'm talking about. I don't think we need an enabling deity for that kind of thing. We have senseless cruelty down to a pat. And I mean, I do like to try and see the best in everyone, but I'm not naive enough to not know that there are just some people who are too far gone. Besides, to stray back to the main topic, what did the Lightbringer really do before falling? He rebelled against his dear ol' dad, just as any teenager did at least once in their lives. I've always thought casting someone out of their home for something like this seemed a bit disproportionate as a punishment."

The way his eyes lit up assured her that she'd said the right thing. Either that, or the chocolate raised his mood far more than usual. She assumed it was the first, though. What she was telling them was what she truly thought too. She wasn't talking out of her arse. Her job allowed her some truly gruesome glimpses into the abyss of humanity's darkness. Why should the jailer be responsible for the sins of those he was tasked to contain? Of course there were different interpretations of Satan's myth, and in some of them, he was responsible for humanity straying from God's teachings, but she believed that an angel created by God had to be inherently good and wouldn't corrupt a whole species out of spite. Most likely, their epic clash was nothing more than a severe case of miscommunication, as was often the case among family. She was speaking from experience here.

That wasn't all that important at the moment, though. She had some more questions to ask. Important ones that would need a clear and coherent answer.

"So, why exactly are you guys here if not to welcome me into the fold? And with a potent bribe at that? Did you want the privacy of the lab's backroom to yourself for a hot make out session? And more importantly, can I watch?"

Lucifer's eyes gleamed mischievously and he opened his mouth only to instantly be cut off.

"Well...-" "Lucifer..."

Chloe's threatening tone made him playfully raise his hands, only to offer them to be cuffed a moment later with an 'innocent' smile on his lips. Chloe glowered at him for a moment with rosy cheeks before she released a huff of amusement. The detective's eyes turned to Ella with more than just a hint of exasperation in them.

"He's bad enough on his own. Do you really have to enable and encourage him?"

She weighed her head from side to side in contemplation before putting her elbows onto the knees of her crossed legs to support her chin on her knuckles. She then blinked in wide-eyed innocence while smiling as if butter wouldn't melt in her mouth.

"I have absolutely no idea what you mean."

The half lidded stare in combination with her flawless deadpan nearly set her off, but she held strong. For a moment that was, until they all shared a good laugh. Chloe was the first to calm down and she observed her as if she was deciding something. Finally, she seemed to have decided something and stopped her consideration.

"Francis sometimes ran some inquiries through our database for me when I had a hunch, but didn't want to jump at shadows. Despite being a medical professional with a lab-background, he had clearance similar to mine so it mostly worked out and if I was right, I usually mentioned his assistance in the report which earned him some goodwill and if it didn't, he almost never got any questions as to why he was accessing that information. The arrangement was mutually beneficial. Would you be interested in continuing along the same line?"

She thought for a moment before shrugging. There was no harm in testing her new access codes and getting a grip of the software around here, was there? Also, Chloe struck her as one of the more idealistic types. She really didn't think the woman would throw her under the bus just after they met.

"Sure. I'm guessing you have one of those favours to ask?"

She inquired curiously. With all the fun she had with them, they were already firmly put in the friends category. Which kinda triggered her impulsive hugging disorder, but she managed to keep her hands occupied. Not everyone was a fan of hugging someone they just met after all. Most weren't actually. Before Chloe could answer her question, Lucifer cut in.

"Oh, for Dad's sake. Come over here, woman. My daughter is just as jumpy as you when she desperately wants to strangle someone with her boundless affection."

Was he offering what she thought he was offering? His arms opened. That was an invite, wasn't it? Before her brain caught up, her body had already moved and latched onto him. His body was solid, but not uncomfortably so. He released a steady stream of warmth and his strong heartbeat was extremely relaxing. She found that it was impossible to stay tightly wound as she was in his embrace. Problems that were eating at her from the inside suddenly seemed less important and she found herself truly relaxing for the first time in weeks. She barely even registered that he opened the embrace for the other inhabitant of the room, but was surprised when she took the invite. That didn't stop her from immediately latching onto Chloe too. It was only good form to hug all things equally.

They stayed in each other's embrace for an indeterminate amount of time before the one joining last pulled back first. She understood though. They'd hugged far longer than was socially acceptable and they had just met. Which technically meant that it wasn't socially acceptable at all. Not that she cared about that. Reluctantly, she pulled back too and looked back with a sense of loss before catching herself and smiling brightly at those two. When someone was capable of handing out hugs like this, they couldn't be evil. Or even bad.

"Thank you for indulging me. My old friends always told me that my love language is touch. I happen to agree, but I try to restrain myself since it can make things awkward afterwards."

It truly could. She even acquired a stalker like this once upon a time. He was a sweet guy, just not her type. But he took the hug as an invitation into her life. Which wouldn't have been so bad, but he pressed for romance and neither was she ready nor was she physically attracted to him. It took a while for him to understand, but once he did, she helped him find a partner with similar values. Greg and Friedrich were still together as far as she knew and it always brought some smug satisfaction to her when she checked in on them. She dealt with her stalker by helping him hook up with a better fitting partner. Who said every stalking case had to end with police involvement?

"I should check on them later..."

She murmured but caught herself quickly, ignoring the slightly questioning look from Lucifer. When she only smiled at him without saying anything, he huffed out a sound of amusement and answered her earlier comment.

"Well, my daughter is the same and I think if she ever met you, the two of you will never let go of each other."

Some fond exasperation flitted over his features before he turned to Chloe.

"Now, didn't you have something to show our newest friend?"

She was giddy on the inside. It didn't often happen that her affectionate ways actually led anywhere in terms of friendship. Most found her to be weird and a bit clingy. On the outside, she played off her elation with professional coolness. Totally. She ignored the amusement dancing in both of her friends' eyes.

"Yeah, I found this badge in an old crime scene and I wanted to check the ID. It was a complicated case and I think that it still isn't cleared up fully. I already got a lot of flak for not closing it quick enough because I wanted to be thorough, so I don't want to risk opinions shifting even further. It already made me this presinct's pariah, and if the unwillingness to work with me of the local force intensifies even more, I fear I'll have to move to another city or something."

The way her body language closed off and the bitter tone in her voice worried Ella. It was clearly a deeper issue and if she could help clear things up, she was willing to help. Expectantly, she held out her hand and received the usual small see through plastic bag with a badge. She wandered over to the computer with the other two in tow and started up the system. It ran more smoothly than the one at her former workplace and the engine for the software running on it was more streamlined too. She could work with this. After navigating for a few moments, she logged in with her data and confirmed her identity before opening the database and searching for the service number.

"The badge belongs to one Daniel Espinoza. I hope that helps?"

When she didn't receive an answer, she turned around worriedly and fought down the immediate impulse to hug Chloe close. The woman looked as if someone killed her loved ones in front of her. She looked devastated on a level that was hard to comprehend. Lucifer's expression was far more scary in contrast. He was absolutely expressionless but somehow managed to radiate an amount of ice cold fury that seemed to freeze the surroundings. 'Well, that went differently than I thought it would. I guess they know the guy? Without context, it's really hard to read the situation. You know what? Screw it. First things first, they need a hug.'

And with that thought, she once again stepped closer to them and embraced them. Luckily they stood close enough to each other that it allowed her to get them both. At first they were taut and stiff akin to one of her regular guests. They were warmer though. And more alive. Well, except for that one dude who was in a coma but had such low vitals that he was declared dead and landed on her table. She really chewed out those idiots who didn't check properly if the guy was really dead. They were lucky he didn't sue since he... Enjoyed the experience. He tried booking a space in her morgue several times and even tried to convince her to perform a vivisection and/or a lobotomy on him. 'What was his name again? Something that reminds me of a hat... Oh yeah, Fester! Fester Addams I believe. Wait, where was I going with this?...'

Ah, right. She was hugging her new friends to provide comfort. It was kinda working? While she was lost in thought, their positions had shifted a bit. She was now hugging Chloe and Lucifer had them both folded into his arms. Now she felt comforted and a bit guilty for it. Because Chloe was the one who needed it. The woman was as tense as they came, but she did accept the embrace and the comfort it offered by leaning in. Slowly, she returned it while the steady monolith named Lucifer kept them grounded. As they stood there, immersed in a gesture of sympathy and comfort, she somehow sensed that this instant connection she felt to them would become an anchor for her.

Something that would remain stable no matter what happened in her life. It was the first time since Ray-Ray that she felt like this, but while her ghostly friend, who was the main part of her childhood delusions and a recent recurrence, left her alone with her problems, she was certain this wouldn't be the case here. At least she wanted to believe that. And if there was one thing she was good at, it was believing in things without proof! 'Wait... That's not a good thing, is it?'

~Dan Espinoza~

"Oh, nothing much. Just the fact that you alone are the driving force behind the bitter and repeated heartbreak of your daughter, her steadily developing trust issues, and a plethora of other building issues she's trying to deal with on her own. You have much to answer for, Daniel Espinoza. And you can start by apologising to your daughter."

Angrily, he shook his head as the words that struck at his core once again echoed through his mind. He knew... He knew, damnit! But that didn't make it easier to deal with. Things were really beginning to grow over his head and everything started to go downhill with Palmetto. Guilt panged through him when he thought back to what happened there. He certainly didn't set out to shoot a former partner of his, but he also couldn't let him shoot Chloe. He genuinely hadn't known just how deep his corruption went when he looked away back in the day.

Only some cloak and dagger investigating to somehow ease his guilt had brought to light just how bad it all was. Before he knew it, his work and his new 'hobby' in tandem with his burning need to keep his involvement hidden from Chloe caused a severe disconnect with his family. Enough to lead them down the road of divorce. He knew she was right. She almost always was. He should have spent more time with Trixie. He should have made time for her no matter what. That part of the problem had started early on, before Palmetto even, and it had only grown worse after the case.

It was the main point of contention between them and he only felt guiltier and guiltier about it the more time passed. Of course his dumb pride didn't allow him to take a step back and admit to being in the wrong. Instead, he pushed them away further and cited work as the reason. Because by now, he couldn't even look into his daughter's innocent eyes without being overwhelmed by guilt. And that sensation caused an irrational anger in him. Which in turn made his behaviour extremely condescending. He was a mess, really, and they deserved better than that. 'And now they have it, don't they?' his inner voice slily pointed out. He hated it. He hated the inordinate amounts of jealousy he felt, he hated the bitter feelings of regret that welled up every time he thought of it, and most of all, he hated the feeling of finality when he saw her smile at something caused, done, or gifted by Lucifer bloody Morningstar.

The man was someone straight out of the loony bin who styled himself after the Devil. And then he went and announced a children's playground to be opened in the middle of Los Angeles. Because his daughter needed friends and protection. Who did that?! 'Crazy billionaires apparently.' His inner voice once again blithely answered and he was so done with his own shit. He was losing his family. And intentional or not, Lucifer Morningstar accelerated it and made any possible attempts to salvage what was left functionally impossible. He hated the guy before he even met him.

And once he did? That hatred evolved. Because even though Dan was as straight as an arrow, he felt a short twinge of physical attraction to him. He was that ridiculously handsome. So here he was. Attractive, rich, and apparently morally superior. He almost repeated what he had accused him of earlier in a bout of supreme jealousy, but something inside of him stopped him in his tracks. Instead he just tried to intimidate him away from his family. That didn't work out so well. He was dressed down and stripped of his defenses with a single look out of those ice cold brown orbs and a slew of scathing words, delivered by a silver tongue.

The way he looked at him seemed reminiscent of the one used on vermin. On pests simply not worth his time. His words cut Dan deeper than he ever imagined. He wasn't aware how badly he had hurt their little Monkey. He always thought Chloe was just being overly dramatic. It ran in the family after all. But hearing it from a stranger's mouth with that kind of conviction? It really brought home that he was a deplorable person. Having been dressed down by Chloe right afterwards only trampled over what was left of his ego. Especially when she did so to defend Lucifer. As if the guy needed anyone to defend him. His neck hairs still rose from just the memory of their confrontation. The whole time he felt as if he was standing in front of an apex predator. It was nerve wracking. And that was in addition to how much he disliked the man.

He was so deeply in his thoughts that he nearly fell out of his chair when a loud bang rattled his desk. Startled, he looked up, only to stare into the enraged eyes of Chloe Decker. She always was a force to be reckoned with but this was the same gaze she'd shown that one time they hunted down a guy who kidnapped children and sent cut off body parts to their parents to force them to pay ransom. She'd shot the guy in the end. Claimed she thought he went for a concealed weapon. No one argued the case. She wasn't even reprimanded internally. Being on the other end of that kind of gaze was an experience he could have done without. He gulped, looked down to see what she slammed onto his desk, and blanched.

It was his badge. The badge he'd lost. Right around the time Palmetto went down... His eyes snapped up to hers and he opened his mouth for a desperate plea but the words were stuck in his throat when her eyes narrowed. She took the badge again and turned around sharply, clearly intending for him to follow her as she stalked out of the room. He knew better than to delay the inevitable. He had to plead his case before her opinion was set. If it wasn't too late for that already.

He hurried after her, ignoring the curious eyes following them. She led him all the way down to the labs where she entered the one assigned to Francis. Had she bribed the guy to let them use it for privacy? He hastily entered the room and closed the door behind him before turning around. He blinked when he realised that there were thrice as many people in front of him as he'd expected. And none of them was Francis. The pretty but unfamiliar woman turned to Chloe with a no-nonsense look in her eyes.

"Please don't wreck my stuff. I haven't had time to use most of it yet."

Chloe's eyes softened slightly and she pulled the smaller woman in for a short hug that was enthusiastically returned. She then left the room with quick but unhurried steps, leaving him alone with Chloe and the third person in the room. Lucifer. And he was fucking terrifying. His eyes were glacial chips, his brows were just slightly furrowed to express his fury, and the way he had his fingers steepled above the desk he was sitting behind to rest his chin on reminded him of several of his superiors. Only, the confidence he projected was several magnitudes more intense than anything he'd ever felt.

The whole setting left him reeling and that was the point if he had to guess. Awareness didn't ease the pressure on him though. His spiralling thoughts were interrupted by a single word, spoken in a voice bereft of any emotions. Hearing that passionate woman speak like this truly brought home just how much he fucked up.

"Speak."

She ordered. And he did. He began with how he looked away from the more harmless things Malcolm did at first. How he didn't want to ruin him over some perceived irregularities. How things had gotten worse and how he changed partners because of it. How his intentional oversight made him complicit and how he didn't want to ruin his career over something like this.

He spoke of his fears once she had begun to investigate because of a hunch. How he tried to dissuade her from going down that line because he didn't want to be found out. How he began to fear for her safety when she started to go all maverick. Then came the hard part. He confessed to shooting Malcolm because he knew his movements and was certain he was going for his concealed gun when he jerked. Desperately, he tried to convince her that he only shot him because he wanted to protect her, but there wasn't a single word or movement. She stayed completely non expressive and it unnerved him fiercely. Eventually, he continued his confession.

He talked about his efforts to keep her from finding out too much, admitting to having sabotaged her several times. Once he started talking about that, everything flowed out and he didn't hold anything back. All the nitty gritty details he had hidden so long flowed past his lips and when he was finally done, he was silently crying. All the while, the duo had just looked at him, judging him. It was honestly cleansing to finally release all of that. Chloe turned slightly and threw a questioning side-eye at Lucifer. He nodded back absentmindedly.

"He's telling the truth. At least he thinks he is and that's good enough. But there's one thing I'm curious about, Daniel."

He stood up with measured grace. His movements screamed predator and the subtle way his lips twisted into the caricature of a smirk added to the sensation. His eyes were what truly terrified him though. They stayed entirely dispassionate as they pinned him in place. Step after step he took and Dan wanted nothing more than to step back to escape that lunatic. His desperation must have shown on his face because as he knelt in front of him to look him directly into his eyes, he addressed him with clear mockery in his voice.

"Oh, none of that, Daniel. Show some accountability, will you? No one likes a snivelling worm after all."

While Dan still idly tried to track when exactly he had fallen to his knees, he was effortlessly hoisted up by the man in front of him. Being lifted off the ground to reach the same eye level as him was a new experience, especially so since he was holding him up with a single hand.

"Tell me, Daniel. What makes you tick? What drives you? Reveal to me what you hide even from yourself. What is your deepest desire?"

Drawn from his lips was a plea for protection to the Devil himself, for now he knew that this man wasn't an actor, and neither was he a lunatic. He had seen the ancient mind behind the 'playful' façade. The plea was not for himself. He knew he didn't deserve that. No. It was on behalf of others. Because his deepest desire, buried by overblown pride, meaningless jealousy, and impulsive anger issues, was nothing less than the absolute protection of his now former family.

"What do you know. Beneath all the filth and dregs that make up that reprehensible thing you call a personality, there slumbers a genuinely good person. Now you just need to shovel off that boring garbage and find yourself a better way to portray who you want to be. Please try and don't fail as thoroughly again. That would be rather embarrassing."

The condescending pat to his cheek when he was put to the ground again was something he could have done without, but there was a hidden satisfaction in the Devil's voice that woke some complicated feelings in him. Suddenly, Lucifer stepped back only for an even more terrifying creature to take his place. A soon-to-be ex-wife. Because he had no illusions of that train being anything else but derailed and crashed into a burning shitshow. At least her eyes weren't that expressionless void anymore. Instead, there were an uncountable number of complicated emotions flitting and flashing through them as she looked at him with crossed arms and lips drawn into a thin line.

"I've got nothing."

She finally breathed out in such a heartbreakingly empty tone of voice that it made his guilt flare all the harder.

"I genuinely don't know what to do. You were a good husband once, you know? An even better father, now that I think about it. Attentive and always ready to goof around with our precious spawn."

She threw Lucifer a pointed look when he grinned, no doubt an inside joke of some kind. The familiar way they interacted with each other sent a pang of hurt through him but he knew he didn't deserve feeling like that and buried it quickly. 'It took the literal Devil to somehow yank my head out of my arse. Wait... Holy shit. The guy's the Devil. My ex is attracted to the Devil... Does she know? Of course she knows. She was always more attentive than me. Wait. I... I find the Devil kinda hot too. Oh god. What's wrong with us? God exists too, doesn't he? Nona was right all along. Well, except for the Devil's look. Because that guy is definitely not as ugly as sin. Get a grip, Dan. Chloe is still talking.' He postponed his existential crisis to listen to his verdict.

"Here's what will happen. You'll confess everything. Let the judicial system judge you. You will also come clean to our daughter. She deserves honesty. You will explain yourself to the best of your ability and maybe, just maybe, we'll support you. Not that you deserve it with the shit you pulled. You may be a good person deep... Deep down. But that prolonged campaign of gaslighting and sabotage... Yeah, that's not something anyone should do, least of all a husband, a cop, or a father. And you're all three."

Then, she started shaking out her hands and rolled her shoulders. He kinda knew what would happen and he honestly thought he deserved it, so when the slap came, he took it without bitching. It wasn't as much of a jawbreaker as he'd expected it to be if he was being honest. She held back quite a bit.

"That wasn't nearly as satisfying as I imagined it to be..."

She groused, only for the Devil to jump in.

"I can show you much more satisfying things, and some of them do involve slapping."

The self-satisfied purr in his voice did nothing to take away Dan's attention from the rosy cheeks that went exceptionally well with the scathing glare she sent the Devil. Dan sighed as he watched the Enemy flirt with his soon-to-be ex-wife and couldn't help but ask himself. 'What the literal Hell has my life come to?'

Chapter Text

~Lucifer~

Once again, he found himself in the kitchen. This time to prepare snacks for a 'movie marathon' after trick-or-treating with Mazikeen and the Hounds in their somewhat true forms. They'd be shrunk to mortal dimensions of course. He was certain his precious daughters would crash during the first one, but he'd indulge them this once. If they managed to stay awake, he'd allow it. So that was the reason why he was baking with slightly more unusual ingredient combinations such as pumpkin with truffles and hazelnut-croquant, and apples with corn and caramel. While he worked over the dough for brain-shaped cupcakes, his mind wandered as it was prone to do.

After that whole mess concerning Detective Douche and coma guy, things settled into a familiar rhythm again, with the notable addition of hunting the baddies with Detective Chloe Decker. He had to pat himself on the shoulder for that particular idea. Not only did he get to spend more time with the formidable woman who awoke unspeakable emotions in him, but he also managed to use the activity to scratch that bothersome itch he always had to deal with when he spent too much time away from his Throne and the true Sinners. Oh, he would need to return a couple of times a year to make sure everything was in order, but it wouldn't be out of bitter necessity anymore. Just his sense of duty, and his responsibility to his subjects.

Why he never came up with such an idea before, he'd never understand. 'And to think that it was Maze who had the idea before me... Sometimes I can be a bit narrow-minded I admit. Speaking of Maze, she has been an invaluable companion. I need to do something for her.'

Secretly in his mind, he felt more than just an ounce of gratitude towards his prickly right hand for talking him out of cutting off his Wings. The situation with Hell would be far more complicated if he didn't have them. The ability to shift dimensions and travel whole realms in mere seconds was invaluable and it would have been a crippling blow to his capabilities had he gone through with it. That wasn't even mentioning the absolutely Hell it would have been on his Grace. An intrinsic part of himself, cut off for no other reason than to spite his not so dear ol' dad. Luckily he had people looking out for him because sometimes, he really failed to think things through. With a wry smile, he shifted his focus to a far more pleasant occasion.

The Playground finally had its grand opening, and a massive amount of children were toddling around in relative safety within its confines. While It all started for his daughter, he had to confess that watching over those innocent creatures as they thrived through joy and merriment was truly a fulfilling experience. As he had claimed them under the Aegis of his Light, they would enjoy uncompromising safety within his walls. Only their own lacking foresight and impulsiveness could become a danger, but he had counter measures for an incomprehensible amount of scenarios in place. 'No doubt they will find ways to stress-test the safety features. Already, several have tried to eat things they really shouldn't. Other's have jumped from places with wild abandon that could have very well ended lethally. ' He shivered in distaste at what some of those little gremlins were getting up to. And what they were determined to consume.

Yet again, he jumped to another topic. Daniel Espinoza's 'Redemption Arc' as Dinah called it with an amused twist to her lips. And he was the one to enable him. He wasn't sure if he wanted to in the start. But after long deliberation, Lucifer decided to call in a favour from an attorney who owed him. Daniel Espinoza was a moron of epic proportions. But he was also important to both, Chloe and little Beatrice. There was also the fact that he showed genuine remorse for how far things spiralled. Which was far more than what most negligent parents could claim about themselves. As such, the Devil deemed him worthy of a second chance, if only barely.

The looks of gratitude he received not just from the spawn, but also from the Detective and his little Morningstar made the endeavour worth it. Feelings about this matter were complicated all around, but the general consensus was that while Daniel fucked up, he deserved to redeem himself. And that prison wasn't conducive for doing so. His thoughts came to an end when Enid stormed into the kitchen.

"How do I look?!"

She asked while turning faster than she really should, only to tumble, fall, and giggle on the ground. He gave her a critical once over and carefully formulated his response. She was dressed in an extremely fluffy looking pink cat suit and her face was covered with matching paint. Originally, she wanted to be a unicorn but she fell in love with this neon pink monstrosity for absolutely inconceivable reasons. He was fairly certain she was going to cause several seizures and at least one heart attack if she went out like this.

"You... Are a sight to behold."

He diplomatically stated. She jumped to her feet after looking at him for a moment, and darted forwards to give him a brief hug before dashing back where she came from, only to slip slightly since the paws of the suit weren't slip-proof. He winced when she nearly slammed into the wall again but she somehow managed to redirect her momentum and transitioned into a somersault which ended with her on her feet. She stood there for a moment and blinked, apparently surprised at what she did, before she turned to him when she heard his slow clap. He paired it with a proud little smirk.

"Well done gymnastics performance, my dear little Hellspawn. But don't you have some sisters to collect? You wanted to be on the streets in around ten minutes after all, and it isn't entirely unlikely that Dinah decided to nap instead of putting on her costume."

Her eyes widened and she yelped before she stormed down the corridor. 'Agitating her while she is in that suit might have been a bad idea.' He admitted to himself before shrugging. While he interacted with his daughter, his telekinesis worked on the snacks in the background. Making time for his precious little angels was paramount in his life, but if he could be productive while doing so, he certainly wouldn't complain.

As he spread his senses beyond the physical realm, he could feel the excitement permeating the room where the girls had gathered. There was also a heavy dose of amusement and more than just a hint of exasperation. This was another of his rediscovered skills. His Grace allowed him to shine Light on the emotional state of others, allowing him to perceive what they felt at the time. It was simply a snapshot of their surface emotions and didn't pry any deeper, but it was useful to assess situations and track his daughter when she was in one of her more... active moods. She tended to shine like a beacon when she was in such a state.

She jumped around the room, probably babbling all the while as she was prone to do when she was especially excited. The thought brought a little smile to his lips as he began to use his control over fire to
Perfectly bake the treats he had crafted. The smile hadn't yet left his features when his daughters filed into the kitchen, urged by the eager Enid. Behind them was Mazikeen in her full glory, complete with the set of Infernal Armaments he had once handcrafted for her. The Armor consisted of hellcast iron combined with the hides of beasts she hunted on her lonesome, including a Stygian Behemoth. A truly impressive bounty for a solo hunt. All those high class materials were then combined tastefully into a light leather armor with plates of metal protecting strategic areas. Light for the standards of an arch demon that was.

The colour scheme of the Armor set was held in crimson and ash grey with flamelike reliefs winding around her form. It woke the illusion of an inferno cloaking her. She forewent the helmet, instead showing her not-truly-halfrotten face. Altogether, she struck an impressive figure and would be enough to make anyone with half a mind think twice before messing with them. If it didn't pertain the safety of his daughters, he might have even hesitantly claimed it to be overkill.

Beatrice went with the classics, at least at first glance. She was dressed in a princess gown that he may or may not have had a hand in creating. It was tastefully decorated with lines of 'fake' diamonds anchoring some of the enchantments. The gown itself was made of Arachne-silk and had a subdued sheen itself. The colour was a pale pink that stood in stark contrast to it's far more intense sibling on Enid's form. On her head, there was a tiara in a style that complimented her new citrine earrings. It had no more than 27 defensive enchantments woven into it as opposed to the 49 on the earrings and the 63 in the dress. He didn't want to go overboard after all. That was what was visible if one wasn't paying attention. If you spared a second look, you'd find fluffy cat ears hidden behind the tiara, and a tail of the same colour peeking out beneath her dress gown.

Because she wasn't going as a princess. She was going as an undercover marsian cat princess and the first female presidential candidate of the crimson planet. Obviously. Compared to the others, Dinah chose an entirely different style. She had a dark violet jacket, highest quality for practicality and comfort obviously. White clowns makeup, applied by the steady hands of the Detective. Green strands of hair, intentionally chaotic in style. And deceptively real looking scars that gave the illusion of her mouth spreading into a truly hideous grin. She looked at him with half-lidded eyes, glinting with some manic energy and hidden amusement while drawling lazily.

"We live in a society..."

Safe to say, she was a true Heath Ledger fan. They were all so adorable that he just couldn't keep the fondness hidden. A far more radiant smile than the one he had banished before lit up his face and his chocolate eyes shone with warmth as he went to a knee in front of them and opened his arms. He rarely initiated an embrace, partly because he wasn't quite used to dispensing platonic or parental physical affection, and partly because most of the time he simply didn't need to since the target of his affection was already clinging to him.

This made the gesture a rare one and the girls froze for a moment before Enid broke the spell by throwing herself at him. The other two followed more sedately with Beatrice actually hesitating for some time before he pulled her in himself.

"You three are mine."

He simply stated, and they relaxed into his hold. He didn't need to explain. They were his daughters and he laid claim to them. Despite his growing parental feelings towards the Detective's spawn, this was the first time he acknowledged them. Not because he was shy or anything like it. No, he first had to inform Chloe about the development and the consequences. He couldn't simply claim the child of another without informing them after all. He was the Devil, and not a barbarian. What he didn't expect was the tender smile the confession elicited from her. And even less did he expect the wordless and soft embrace in addition to the searing feeling of her lips pressed to his cheek.

After regaining his bearings, which took an embarrassingly long time, he regarded her reaction as a positive one and it culminated in this scene. Slowly, he pulled back to see two blinding smiles and one soft gaze paired with a light smile hidden by delightfully hideous fake scars.

"You claimed the Devil himself as your father. And I acknowledge that claim and add my own to it. I am yours as you are mine. I truly hope you will never regret...-"

He was interrupted fiercely by Enid. With more vehemence than anything else he'd heard from her, she threw out one word that made the other two nod along.

"Never!"

He certainly did not tear up and boil the tears away before they could have been noticed and anyone claiming otherwise simply didn't know him at all. Or they knew him better than he knew himself. After clearing his throat, he answered with as much composure as he could manage.

"Yes, well. I'm glad. Anyways, off you go. Take the neighbourhood in storm and gather all the candy. When you are back, there will be a plethora of snacks and a collection of movies I deem you ready to watch waiting for you."

They toddled off and he held back Maze for a moment.

"Keep them safe, Mazikeen. We don't want me to have a reason to wage war on the world, do we?"

The tone of his voice straightened her back and she shot him a smirk even as her ingrained instincts made sure she paid attention. It was a promise of absolute escalation should anyone try something. 'Good.' His protective instincts rumbled. Her verbal answer was a deferential one that held a good amount of spine. She was subservient not because she had to be, but because she wanted to be.

"Yes, my Lord. Whoever tries to lay hands on my little proteges will wish for a prolonged stay in Hell, for what I will do to them will make your tormentors worship me... Again."

He knew the incident she was talking about, of course. She had to claim celibacy through devotion to her Lord to get all the suitors off her back, and even then there were some taking the risk anyways. He had to get involved personally when one of Belial's stooges tried to disparage him. Not a wise decision, especially since he'd been far more vicious back then. He didn't mind channeling this part of himself if it helped keeping his daughters safe. Not. At. All.

~Malloroth~

He laid in the living room of his Alpha's abode as he often did. His guise was that of a massive St. Bernard's and it fits him just fine. Sure, it was a fair bit smaller than his true form, but as long as he didn't try and bring forth the rage and the fury his race was infamous for, he would be fine. He was old and it showed in his temperament. With the exception of Cherona, he was the oldest of the pack, and since her temperament was that of a far younger hound, she didn't really count. In his youth, when he was still impulsive and quick to fall into a berserk like state, he was known as The Storm. A natural disaster that could raze whole packs from existence in just some short hours. Myths were created about him and outlandish theories were abound. He found it all amusing and nowadays, he kept up with the gravevine for his own entertainment. When he wasn't napping or 'napping' that was.

At that thought, his attention went to the three little whelps pressed to his side for warmth and comfort. Enid Morningstar, the Lord's first adopted daughter. Beatrice Espinoza-Decker, the one who made ears bleed and hounds howl. And Dinah Morningstar, the Oracle who wasn't of the Lord's blood, but instead of his Soul. The last one was as close to a biological daughter as was possible to be without actually being of His lineage. Malloroth was fond of all of them and he liked to think that the feeling was mutual. They were snoozing away after just having finished a round of stalking the confused Archangel.

Amenadiel's addition to the pack had been a grudging acceptance among his fellow hounds. Not for the reason some might think though. Sure they clashed a fair few times and suffered grievous wounds from each other, but such was the life of demonic creatures. Violence was an intrinsic part of their existence and they could respect someone who dealt it as well as he did. It was the sign of a formidable Warrior, which was an epithet that the Angel of Time certainly deserved. No, the reason the acceptance was grudging was because the oaf didn't register it. He was a clueless moron who didn't acknowledge their inclusion of him. Finally, they gave up trying to get through his thick skull and dubbed him the Slow One. He was Pack. He just didn't know it. And it was fine. Somewhat.

Thinking of their Pack, it was growing. Young pups, lost siblings, the scheming one, the future Queen of Hell. Earth was ripe with additions to their ever growing Family and he was all for it. The more Pack there was, the less he had to do. What was left was caring for the younglings and that wasn't a chore at all. They understood his temperament and accepted his less than mobile nature. He was simply too old to bound around and play like a young pup with the rest. Instead, he preferred to observe. Attentively, he shifted slightly in the same moment Enid latched on to Dinah. The little girl was once again having a nightmare and the young Heiress noticed even in her slumber. Instinctively and without delay, she went to pacify her younger/older sister's sleep while he provided comfort in the form of body heat from all sides.

The Oracle quickly settled down and fell into a restful slumber again. He was glad she was doing better. The acrid smell of terror wasn't one he enjoyed when it wasn't coming from his enemies. As he settled down, he mused that he inadvertently took up the role of a protector again. His younger self would have laughed derisively at him for being in such a subservient and passive position. He would have made a bid for the Alpha's position. He would have lost in two seconds flat. Even now, if his Lord wasn't going all out, he'd survive the battle for maybe half a minute. If the fallen Archangel was in the mood to play around. The gulf between them was enormous. He wasn't an Ascended Demon after all. Not yet, at least. And it wouldn't help much if he was, to be honest.

That didn't mean he was weak though. He was one of the few who had tangled with both, Archangels and their demonic counterparts, and he lived to tell the tale. He wouldn't have reached his age if he was a weakling, but what truly kept him alive was resourcefulness. The mortals had a quaint and accurate proverb for cases such as him. 'Let sleeping dogs lie.' And all those threatening the peace of his charges would understand the meaning rather quickly. Moments before they were ripped apart by a towering hound intent to protect his Lord's loved ones. They'd find themselves wishing they had listened to their instincts and backed the fuck off. He could almost taste the blood of their enemies already. Suddenly, a deep satisfied rumble ripped itself free from his throat as small fingers found all the best spots right above his throat.

"Don't think so much, Malley. Go back to sleep. It's not a nap if not all of us are napping."

He didn't quite follow the logic of the Heiress, but he wouldn't argue against her. Especially if she was ordering him to do something he loved to do. She was on equal standing to the Mistress of the Pack after all. Only their Alpha, the Lord of Hell himself, had a higher rank. It wasn't his job to correct her. So he gave an affirmative little half-bark and laid his head down onto his paws. He was a dutiful hound.

"Good boy."

She whispered, causing the universal sense of pleasure and belonging those words were prone to elicit. She then cuddled deeper into his fur, and pulled the other two closer. After nuzzling the second Heiress, she kissed her cheek for good measure and went back to sleep. A deep protective urge rose once again in the depths of his infernal pump that some blasphemers might have called a heart. They were adorable little pups. He'd give them that.

They had all the skills of a proper baby Hellhound down to a pat. For example emotional manipulation through their puppy dog eyes, and using them to get out of trouble after haplessly destroying property. They just needed a bit more viciousness, but that would come with time. They still had time to grow and needed to learn what they were willing to do to protect their loved ones. And he would be one of the lines of defense to make sure they would be unbothered in their growing phase.

There would be times where their Lord wouldn't be available, so he'd rely on them to provide safety. That was a task he would fulfill, even if it cost him his life. Such was the loyalty of a Hellhound to his Alpha. Though he'd protect them even without his Alpha's urging. Those little ones also had a knack for inspiring loyalty. It was par of the course for those acknowledged by the Alpha and the Mistress. After giving the Heiress a little lick that made her giggle, he settled down for some light snoozing himself. Of course he'd stay alert for threats at all times. He was an ever vigilant guardian after all. But no one said he couldn't be comfortable whilst fulfilling this most prestigious role.

~Ella Lopez~

She liked to think she learned to read Lucy fairly well over the past few weeks. She still wasn't sure if he was a method actor or something more, but she honestly didn't much care. He was a good friend and always lent an open ear if she needed it. He was also quick to adjust to her bouts of compulsive hugging and accepted them graciously, and without taking any liberties at that. All of that made him top tier friend material. It would probably be more than that if she hadn't realised early on that he was hopelessly besotted with 'The Detective'.

It was kind of hilarious actually. He was throwing out all those signs and signals, making it clear to everyone with eyes that he had it bad, but also that he was confused about it and didn't really know just how obvious he was. Or what it was that he was feeling. And Chloe did pick up on it, but there was still some stuff she had to work through, so she acknowledged what was going on, but didn't commit yet since she wanted their relationship to start with a clean slate. At least that was what Ella thought about the current state of those two. And she knew what she was talking about. After all, she was a fully committed Deckerstar™ shipper now! Honestly, watching them was more entertaining than those Spanish telenovelas she sometimes streamed, armed with a vat of ice-cream and a fluffy bathrobe.

Anyways, yes. She knew how to read the guy. It wasn't that hard since he was brutally honest about, well, everything, and she was always good at reading body language to pick up on things he wasn't saying. And right now, he wasn't saying an awful lot. He suddenly entered her lab in the late morning, gave his greeting, and began to observe her with a complicated expression on his face. As if he wanted to ask her something but didn't know how. While it usually was nice to have some company, and he was his usual charming self, it still gnawed on her nerves to have him say so much without telling her anything. After hours of giving him the time to come clean, she finally had enough.

"Okay. I was patient and tried to give you the time to open up by yourself. You didn't appreciate that apparently, so I'm calling you out. Spill it, Lucy."

She told him after directing her best glare at him. Which, admittedly, wasn't an impressive one. But! It counted for something, right? She crossed her arms for good measure but only earned an indulgent smile for her efforts. She sighed and let her arms fall to her side. After giving it up as a bad job, she ended up not fighting the pout that formed on her lips for once. Even if she was capable of truly glaring at her friends, which sadly only happened when they well and truly fucked up, it probably wouldn't have done much to Lucifer anyways. He didn't seem to be the type of guy who was easily impressed by such things. Against her expectations, he did decide to answer. In the form of a question.

"Ella. Do you know someone named Azrael?"

Did she? She thought for a moment before shaking her head.

"Nope, don't think so. The closest is the delusion I've thought up after nearly dying in a car crash to deal with the trauma. She was a ghost called Rae-Rae and she actually reappeared recently! Told me I had to move here to get away from all that stress in Detroit. Best decision I've made so far. Maybe I should listen to my delusions more often?"

This was another thing some people took offense in. She liked to share her past in unexpected bursts and since she was a positive person by nature, she did so with some humour sprinkled in. Consequently, she joked around like this with friends she'd grown close to. It definitely wasn't something everyone could accept. The way Lucifer's expression darkened had her faintly worried for a moment. She knew he wouldn't hurt her physically, but would he strike an emotional wound by abandoning her after she shared that part of herself?

She inwardly shook her head. He was too much of a sweetheart for that. No, those worries were left over shadows that would follow her for the rest of her life, even if she learned how to deal with them. Because trauma always left scars and some influenced their bearers whether they liked it or not. She still wanted to know what darkened his mood though. Especially since he didn't look surprised at her revelation. Before she could ask what exactly it was that was wrong, he spoke with clear irritation in his voice. Not to her though.

"Azrael. I know you are observing from afar. If you do not come here this instant, I will come to get you myself. You may be the better flyer, but I am faster and far, far more persistent. Do not test me."

She was once again interrupted from asking just who the fuck he was talking with. And this time, the interruption occurred by means of a woman. A woman she knew. A woman she knew, but now with wings. Angel wings. Ella-exe crashed for a good few seconds before she blurted out the first thing that shot through her mind.

"So you are my ghost guardian angel?!"

Rae-Rae had shrugged away her wings, causing a faint but alarming longing that she immediately put to the back of her mind. It wasn't anything overwhelming right now, but she could easily imagine an addiction forming with prolonged exposure. While she dealt with that, her childhood companion looked at her contritely while also glancing at Lucifer from time to time. He was just glaring at her sternly with crossed arms and nodded over to her. There was a whole nonverbal conversation going on that she wasn't privy to. Finally, the woman she was convinced she'd thought up sighed and decided to answer.

"I am not a guardian angel and neither am I a ghost. Technically, neither exist, though some Souls do linger longer or are brought back irregularly, and an experiment or two may have gone awry once upon a time which may or may not have caused outer dimensional shades to invade this plane of existence. As for Guardian Angels, most of those accounts are based on a case similar to ours, but before I explain, please let me apologise for misleading you. What happened wasn't my intention. When you asked who I am, I panicked and blurted out the first thing that came to my mind. Later, I simply went with it since it was easier than explaining that the Angel of Death is interested in you."

The words 'Angel of Death' echoed through her mind and she remembered some myths of a black winged angelic being with that very same name. Often decried as the harbinger of disaster, since whenever she appeared, there was death and misery in her wake. She didn't panic. Not at all. Why would she? It was just the Angel of fucking Death who confessed an interest in her! Ok, maybe she was panicking a little bit but she thought it was justified. Inwardly, she counted to three and then... let go of it. There was no reason to agitate herself. Calm Ella was always the better decision maker if compared to Scared or Panicked Ella. An incident including a Porsche 911 GT2, seven police cars, and a lake came to her mind and she once again reaffirmed to stay calm. Lucifer would make sure she was alright. She was certain of it. 'Wait, does that mean...? Later. Think about that later.' By chance, her little internalised panic attack ended the same moment in which Azrael continued her little speech.

"I know you won't suddenly be able to forgive my deception and demanding as such would be ill Grace, so I won't. The least I owe to you is an explanation, though. As you likely inferred, I'm not, in fact, a ghost. My God-given name is Azrael. I am an Angel and the domain of my expertise is Death and its aligning concepts. The reason I was at your crash site was because you were supposed to die that day. But you lived instead, so I grew curious as to why that was the case. I visited you out of said curiosity and before I knew it, one visit became several and I was attached to your bright and outgoing nature. It reminded me of better times and I grew fond of you. I never did find out just how you survived, but I admit that I didn't try all that hard since my priorities shifted the more I got to know you. You were a cute kid, and you always had a certain magnetism to you, you know? When it started causing problems for you, I felt guilty and stayed away. I still looked over you though. To make sure you were doing alright."

She finished awkwardly. Well, this was a lot to unpack. On one hand, she just learned she should've been dead. On the other hand, at least part of her crazy wasn't actually her crazy. Why was she feeling vaguely disappointed about that? 'Another thought for later.' She decided. Now was the time to focus on the important things first. Rae-Rae was actually the Angel of Death. Consequently, Lucifer was most likely the genuine article. 'Ah, later seems now. Good to know, brain.' Still, she knew he was a sweetheart though, so nothing changed on that front. Rae-Rae's deception did hurt though. Very much so. She tried not to let it show, but she must have failed badly because the angelic woman, who wasn't a delusion but the Angel of Death!, flinched slightly.

Still, she couldn't bring herself to feel sympathetic... That was a lie. She did feel a bit (a lot) of sympathy and cursed herself for her compassionate nature. Well, more like she cussed at herself for it. Most of the time it was a good thing after all. That said, perceptions must have been very different for angelic beings because in all the years she spent with her 'family', she wasn't alright. Quite the opposite really, and being branded as a nutjob didn't help matters. The way she was treated by her peers for what she now knew wasn't her own fault hurt her self esteem badly. For a short moment, she dared imagine how her life would have gone if she didn't have to deal with all of that. With the malicious giggling, the snide comments, the rude gestures. But then she thought better of it. With a firm shake of her head, she pushed that thread of thought away decisively.

It would have been easier. So much easier. But the person she would have become wouldn't have been her. Despite her issues, she was proud of what she achieved. She overcame adversity and made something of herself. She was well known in her field of expertise and even published several well acclaimed papers under a pen name. And if she didn't go through what she did, she would have been a very different person. Possibly someone she wouldn't have been proud of. Self image problems aside, she kinda liked who she was.

She looked at the woman in front of her with a plethora of complicated feelings arising in her. Did they even truly know each other? 'Probably not...' She mused before letting her thoughts push into uncomfortable territory. 'The question is: Do I want to keep it that way?' It was a loaded one indeed, but it did have a clear answer. Especially as she looked into the eyes of the ageless being who seemed to await a verdict. From what she could see, her remorse was genuine, and there was another emotion in there that she knew all too well. Self-loathing. She sighed, already knowing that her decision was made. She was nothing if not decisive once she made up her mind.

She wouldn't be able to immediately forgive her. Her capacity for forgiveness has always been pretty big and she didn't like to dwell on grudges. They darkened life and she'd much rather stay in the light. Forgiveness oftentimes fostered bonds that would have snapped otherwise and she liked to think that was a good thing. But she certainly wouldn't forget the trials she had to go through to be somewhat happy. None of it was intentional however, and she genuinely regretted what she caused from what Ella could see. Taking all of it into consideration, she decided to cut her some slack. With an only partly forced half grin, she teased her.

"Well, at least your version of stalking didn't include creative setups to somehow kill me ironically. That would've sucked."

The comment made Lucifer smirk and Rae-Rae squawk indignantly.

"I... I didn't... Ok, maybe I did stalk you. But I didn't mean it like that! And those movies are not an accurate depiction of me at all! While some of those regrettably happened, I did not have a hand in it! No one can cure human idiocy! Believe me! Raphael tried and nearly grew insane over it before Father stopped him."

She blinked at the explosive reaction. That was a sore spot it seemed. A sly smirk grew from the half grin, and it was much more genuine than its lip-sister. How would she react to things like the Darwin awards then? So much teasing material. But before all that, she had to confirm something. Turning to Lucifer, she asked him.

"So you are the genuine article? The Big Ol' Baddie? The Devil? Beelzebub? The Prince of Lies? The first Fallen? The...-"

With exasperation and that special brand of condescension that was reserved for his gripes about humanity in his voice, he stopped her and waved her off and verbally interrupted her at the same time.

"Yes, yes, yes. Yadda, Yadda. Though I am not Beelze. He's a sub-dimensional demonic entity who gets some of my clout. We sometimes meet up for tea and homemade biscuits to talk and exchange our experiences about humanity's penchant for blaming others over their failures. It's always a pleasant time. Now, do you have the urge to run, scream, and hide? Will you decry me and try to protect others from my corrupting influence?"

He asked her curiously, though there was a certain wariness in his voice. With what she'd seen online it was understandable, she supposed. Thus, she answered honestly.

"Nah, we're cool."

He spluttered, clearly not expecting the casual nature of her reply.

" What do you mean with 'We are cool.'?!"

She smiled at him before taking a step in his direction. He looked ready to bolt but restrained himself. An unwise decision as it turned out. She jumped at him and before he knew it, she was hugging the stuffing out of the infernal teddy bear. He was a big strong man and his daughter was supposed to be this fierce mean hugging machine. She was sure he could take it. His weak protests and ineffectual attempts at escaping her hold were handily ignored and he quickly surrendered to her affectations with a put upon sigh. Once he hugged her back, she continued talking, slightly muffled since her head was pressed against his deceptively muscular chest.

"I mean just that. I have no reason to fear you. Your identity doesn't really matter. It doesn't change anything, least of all who you are. I've got the privilege to get to know you over the past few weeks and I like what I spied beneath all that smug satisfaction you seem to radiate at random times. You are steadfast and loyal. You deeply care for those you let into your life."

She pretended not to notice the way his arms tightened slightly around her and let the hint of a tease sneak into her voice.

"Chloe clearly adores you and she's an even better judge of character than me. Heck, you smacked a children's playground into the heart of LA to give your daughter a safe space to make friends. That's max tier adorable. And high tier crazy, but that's not important. Besides, it's the attractive kind of crazy, so you're good on that front. As for your status as the big bad: So you have a bit of a reputation? Big deal. In Detroit, I used to steal cars and drive them better than their owners! Those little mechanical kittens were glad to be moved right, I tell ya. They purred for me! Who says you can't be a skilled driver without a license?"

She finished a bit indignantly and cleared her throat when she realised that she was becoming a bit too passionate. He gently pushed her back without truly letting her go and looked at her with his left brow raised in surprise even as his lips quirked into a smirk.

"Well, what do you know. You are far more adventurous than I thought, Ms. Lopez. Maybe I'll let you drive the Hell's Chariot some time? It would be the first time a mortal moved it. I'm curious how it would react to having you in the driver's seat."

She smiled brightly at him. It was easy to tell that his offer was not only genuine but a proof of trust. Her smile transitioned into a teasing grin that fit her earlier lilt perfectly.

"I'll have you know that I live my life by only one tenet in terms of driving. You've got to move them fast, it's not fun otherwise. Are you sure your carriage is up for it?"

His answering smirk and the mischievous glint in his eyes sent the echo of a thrill through her body. That smirk was hiding promises of speed and adrenaline that she wanted fulfilled yesterday.

"Oh, do believe me when I tell you. You won't find a mortal car that outpaces my Chariot. I may have to rent a racing track to allow you to cut loose, though."

She almost salivated at the thought and hoped he'd keep his word. She was optimistic, though. From what she gathered, he never once lied in his entire life. A daunting thought, now that she knew his age was measured in billions. She slipped out of his light hold and turned to Rae-Rae, who had been suspiciously silent. What she found was a fond smile and a surprisingly smug gleam in her eyes. She narrowed her own as a suspicion began to form. True to her nature, she immediately confronted her.

"You planned for us to meet when you sent me to LA, didn't you?"

Lucifer turned to his sister with an unreadable expression. She imagined he didn't much like being manipulated into anything. Which was something she could relate to. Meanwhile, the ghostly delusion turned Angel of Death shook her head lightly.

"I hoped my two favourite people would find each other in a city as big as LA. It was a fool's hope honestly, but the fact that you two met less than a week after your arrival says much about the threads of Fate."

Lucifer sighed but surprised her by smiling ruefully at his sister. With melancholy permeating his voice, he chastised her.

"Fate had nothing to do with this, Rae-Rae. I've been free from its grasp for a long time now as you very well know. It took me far too many near-death experiences to break the chains that shackled me to a sequence of events I wanted no part in, and I will not let anyone put me under its yoke again. Not even you, my dearest sister."

'He used the name she gave me. From the looks of it, it's an important part of their relationship. When she heard him address her, she perked up. That's pretty much proof. I'm glad that I am important enough for her to share something like this with me, even if its meaning is lost to me without context. Doesn't mean she's forgiven though. Well, maybe a little bit. But what's up with all this talk about Fate? She looks equal parts apologetic and chagrined. And hidden beneath those obvious emotions, there are even darker ones brewing. I don't know shit about this. It goes over my head, and that kinda irks me.' Her thoughts concluded, she firmly decided to ask him about it at a later date. Right now, she needed to dissolve the tension however.

"I dunno what this is about, but besides some paperwork, I have nothing else to do and I can and will postpone it. I am a master of procrastination! Let's go do something fun. Does either of you know Maria, la del barrio?"

She cackled at their uncomprehending looks. She would corrupt them with ridiculously over-the-top Spanish TV! It was a decision made purely out of altruism. She just wanted to share her joys with others. Well, that and she really wanted to know if Lucifer's pajamas were as high quality as his suits. She'd almost bet that they were at least satin with a sinfully high thread count. They'd invite Chloe too and maybe she'd finally meet the little ones? And the mysterious Maze she'd heard so much about?

~Amenadiel~

Enough was enough. He needed to know what she had against him and why she was following him regardless of the glares she sent him. It was beyond vexing to have anyone he asked laugh, snicker, or giggle at him. It was Time that he took things into his own hands. Time to stand up for himself. He couldn't let an 8 years old girl walk over him like that. So he waited until they were in their usual position behind the door's frame to spy on him and stopped Time for a moment. He met some resistance surprisingly, but on second thought it was reasonable. An oracle empowered by Lucifer's Soul, a budding natural Celestial with Lycan origins, and a Legacy of a Miracle. The line up was ridiculous. It was no surprise that he had to exercise a bit more power than usual to keep them temporally locked.

After walking behind them, he crossed his arms and loomed over them before resuming Time. He wanted to pull off the silent judgemental stare but his facade broke immediately under the instinctive assault of Enid. He failed to take Maze's training into consideration. She was big on building instinctive responses to perceived threats. Such as slamming an elbow into the gut of the person behind her. The only problem was Enid's height and thus the place her elbow landed. He released a totally manly grunt on having his unmentionables realigned. When his brother's creations finally faded from view, he was met by a snickering seer, a contrite Enid, and a glaring Trixie. Before Enid could apologise, he waved it away.

"Don't be sorry for my own brand of idiocy, little wolf. I should have known better, especially since I've fought Maze more than once and we've taken to sparring recently. Also, I'm hardier than I look. This didn't do much damage other than severely bruising my Pride."

Contrary to his expectations, she looked at him with some real horror in her eyes.

"Dad told me that your Pride is your most sensitive part and that we should be really careful with it. He told us we had to treat it like glass..."

She whispered in dismay and Dinah was really beginning to crack up in the background. His left eye twitched in irritation, but he couldn't find it within himself to be angry. This was the first time he heard the newest addition to the household laugh. He was so distracted that he failed to react when Enid determinedly pulled him along and situated him on the couch. His befuddled state lasted until he was lying on his back with a wet cloth on his forehead. He tried to sit up but was pushed down by the surprisingly strong girl.

"Don't. We need to soothe your injuries."

She sternly told him and before he could retort, she was already talking and he could feel his face heat up.

"Don't worry. Nothing that happened was your fault. You are a big, strong Warrior. You are fierce and your enemies tremble before your might. You are the most awesomest uncle we could wish for and Uncle Phil has nothing on you."

She continued whispering more and more ridiculous reassurances into his ear while patting his head of all things. Dinah was wheezing by now and even Trixie didn't manage to keep up the serious facade and let a giggle slip. Enid paused in her 'care' and whirled around to glare at them.

"This is not a laughing matter! He was seriously injured because of me. If you have time to laugh, you have time to help!"

With dawning horror, he registered her words. The two girls shared a conspiratorial look before sending Enid a suitably contrite look before agreeing. Enid continued with her 'duty', now supported by two little girls who threw scathingly patronising 'reassurances' such as 'You are way stronger than a little girl.' and 'I'm almost certain you could have taken her if she hadn't surprised you.' at him. 'Damnit Lucifer. What did you tell them?!' He groused in his mind. Finally, he couldn't take it anymore, lest his mind would break under the embarrassment.

"Look! Look. Stop it, please. I don't know what Lucifer told you but my Ego is not that fragile. Yes, I'm more prideful than is probably healthy, especially for a Celestial. But when I make a mistake, I am capable of owning up to it. Doing so is part of maintaining a healthy self confidence, since it will help you handle similar situations better in the future."

She scrutinised him sceptically for a moment before nodding thoughtfully. The other two had calmed down too. Dinah was the first of them to talk. There was a bit of amusement hidden away still, but he could tell she meant it when she apologised.

"Sorry, we got a bit carried away."

He graciously accepted her apology and the more grudging one from Beatrice. Which reminded him of his original purpose before he was waylaid by an elbow.

"May I know why you dislike me so, Beatrice? I don't think I've done anything to you. If I remember correctly, the opposite is the case since you brutally eviscerated me on the table last boardgame night. I still shudder from the way you went after my pins."

He really did. Especially since she hit all her dice throws. It was uncanny, and he had the suspicion that Lucifer had a hand in it. He couldn't prove it though. When he turned his attention back to the recipient of his question after a short traumatic flashback, he saw her tilt her head confusedly.

"I don't dislike you. You're funny and tall and strong, like Lucifer."

Now he was confused. Why did she always glare at him then? And what was it with the incessant stalking whenever they were both here? When he asked the internalised question out loud, the answer nearly made him facepalm.

"Well, you're my rival! Lucifer is spoiled by your voice and he can't appreciate my singing because of that. I need to hear you sing to learn how much I have to improve to impress him."

He didn't have the heart to tell her that her singing voice could genuinely be weaponised. Lucifer shared what he received from her once and he nearly couldn't keep in the wince when he thought about it. If he didn't know better, he'd think she had banshee blood in her lineage. 'This girl is the source of a surprising amount of trauma...' He mused thoughtfully. He didn't dwell on it however and instead concentrated on the second part of her statement.

"So all the stalking was to catch me sing? Why didn't you just ask? It's not as if I could have said anything worse than no and I don't even have a reason to decline the request."

Now it was her turn to look surprised. It seemed she hadn't even taken into consideration that she could just ask. He spent a thought to search for a song he could perform for them. Finally, his choice fell upon one that woke a deep sense of melancholy in him. It wasn't one he had ever performed himself, but while he wasn't confident in his ability to do it justice, he was certain he could imitate it from memory since he heard it quite often back in the day and these memories were amongst the most treasured he had.

He started with a hum and let his deep voice fill the room. Silence fell upon his audience and he transitioned into the verbal part. On one hand, the song was strictly Enochian, so he doubted they could understand the words. On the other hand, the song was strictly Enochian which meant that the meaning of it all transcended mere language. It was sung directly to the Soul, and it spoke of Family and Bonds. Of Life and its pleasures. Of sons endeavouring to make their parents proud. Of Brothers going to their utmost limits to keep their siblings safe.

It was a song that had a narrative woven into it and everyone understood it slightly differently. For him it was always about striving for approval, though now that he sang it, he noted that the target had changed with new understanding and old bonds reformed. Azzy once confided in him that for her it spoke of peace and harmony amongst family. Something she deeply longed for, and he could feel an echo of it for himself too. As he hummed the last few notes with all of his Soul, he returned to reality and could see the children in various states of awe, though there was something else in Enid's eyes, which were suspiciously shiny.

"Pardon me for my poor performance."

He apologised honestly. Trixie's eyes widened comically in dismay.

"That wasn't even your best?..."

She whispered more to herself than to him. Before he could even think of answering, her glare returned with the flames of competitiveness.

"I have a long way to go, but I will beat you!"

He almost laughed at her declaration. Not because he didn't take her seriously. Not at all. He had seen mortals do ridiculous, borderline impossible things when properly motivated, and he knew better than to underestimate their drive. No, he nearly laughed for another reason.

"You misunderstood, little one. This is the best I am capable of. The performance was poor in comparison to the one of whom it was who composed this song. I haven't heard it since long before his Fall. Samael was the one to create this heart-rendingly uplifting piece, and I cannot come even close to the splendor he was capable of invoking with nothing but his voice. A mere humm was capable of rousing the spirit of legions by lighting a fire in their Souls and a warcry struck fear into the hearts of his foes for if you woke his ire, it meant that Light had abandoned you and you were left in the eternal dark. I attribute the piece strictly to Samael because I don't think he ever performed it after his Fall."

He finished his recount with a heavy voice. That was when he noticed Enid's state. The usually exuberant werewolf was close to tears and she whispered.

"Dad..."

Before sniffing and visibly pulling herself together. She put on a brave face and gave him a tremulous smile before explaining with a tremulous voice why this impacted her so.

"I... I think I know the melody... He hummed it to me when, when I was down and... He kept me in his embrace and I felt so safe."

Amenadiel stared at her in shock even while the other two girls crowded and hugged her. He knew that some of his mannerisms from the time before his Fall had returned and that he was getting better and better at controlling his Grace, but for Enid to awaken that part of him... He quickly snapped out of it and fulfilled his sworn duty as Uncle Amy. He gathered them into his arms, causing Dinah to stiffen slightly before she relaxed. He then released his Wings and cocooned them in. It was the most protective gesture among winged Celestials and the fact that he could offer it to them instinctively without a second thought even when Lucifer was not involved made him all the more aware that he had claimed them as part of his Family. He realised he would die for them should it ever become necessary and he was wholly comfortable with that thought. He didn't know how long he held them close, but when all three of them ended up falling asleep in his arms, he allowed himself to doze off too. Just for a small nap of course.

When Lucifer returned with Chloe in tow, they found a sleeping Amenadiel with three little girls napping half obscured by his Wings. Though Lucifer later claimed to have taken those pictures for blackmail, curiously they were never used in that context. Instead, one could always spy a gentle smile on his face when he regarded them.

Chapter Text

~Enid~

She looked at the door in front of her curiously. It was a nice door. Well, maybe not nice, but definitely beautiful. Made of some kind of wood native in the Infernal Lands, and decorated with all kinds of reliefs that depicted gruesome and graphic battles. It did seem very much not nice actually, now that she thought about it. She refused to judge it based on its appearance though. Her dad told her that doing so was shallow and that the inner values count at least as much as outer ones. As such, she cleared her throat and asked politely.

"Uhm, Mr. or Mrs. Door? Can you please wake up?"

There was a slight pause in their snoring before they released a louder snort and blearily opened their eyes. It took them several seconds to blink away the fog of sleep before they focussed on Enid. Their brows pulled themselves into a mighty frown and their eyes communicated clear disapproval. It sounded as if someone recorded an uncountable number of creaking hinges and layered them over each other to somehow create a caricature of a voice when they shouted at her.

"I don't know who you are, kid, but I suggest you leave before I bite your head off!"

She tilted her threatened body part and scrutinised the living gate for a moment before shrugging.

"Ok. That's unhealthy though."

She turned around after what was meant as a parting comment, but stopped skipping when the door called after her. Strangely, their voice now seemed to meld the sound of keys grating against each other.

"Wait! What do you mean by that? Eating heads is unhealthy?"

Enid smiled. The door was pursuing knowledge! That was something she could get behind. But since it didn't have legs, the pursuit was probably slow going. Consequently, she felt obligated to support them in their laudable endeavour. She returned to her position in front of the gateway and explained with a bright smile that was at odds with the topic they chose to converse about.

"Well, it's not the head itself but what's in it. I've read about what happens if you eat brains. You get sick in an irreversible way. The disease is called Kuru or Laughing sickness, and it takes over your mind. It makes you insane and slowly erases your personality until there is nothing left of you but a laughing fool."

There was a short silence in which the gnarly face on the door went through several expressions of shock and fear before settling on a mix of worried and thoughtful. Their voice was suddenly much more pleasant, reminding her of doorbells instead. The deep, resounding kind.

"That... It sounds like what happened to Tom. I mean, he's much more pleasant company now than he was before, but the thought that it's the result of an ailment like this is mildly terrifying. Are you certain of that information?"

She thought it over for a moment and nodded.

"Yeah, it's not exactly a common thing but it's one of the more deadly sicknesses on earth. It happens when you eat the brain of primates, and we humans count among them. The cause is a kind of protein that went bad and started infecting other things with whatever made them go bad. Those start producing the prion, which is the name of the bad protein, and everything goes downhill from there since your own body starts producing the sickness."

The door seemed to consider her for a moment before the keyhole stretched into a smile that would have sent lesser beings running while screaming their soon to be consumed heads off. Luckily, Enid was in no way someone lesser except for body height, so she grinned back instead which made an appreciative glint appear in the demonic door's eyes.

"You know your stuff, small one. That's a terrifyingly effective tactic, subverting your body's resources to produce their troops and invading it from the inside? Genius."

It hummed for a moment before before looking at her sharply.

"Now answer one question for me. Who are you? I don't think I've seen you around so you must be new, and you don't smell very demonic at all, though there is a hint of it beneath all the other layers like 'wet dog' and 'rainbow vomit'. Hmm, you aren't a Cambion, I don't think. Will you explain yourself? Or do I have to take more severe measures?"

She nodded decisively and struck a pose, which was the start of a small choreography. She was told by Trixie's grandma that she needed to introduce herself in a memorable way and this was what she'd come up with with the help of her sisters.

"I am the one to bring joy even to the Lord of Hell. I am the one who will cuddle all the horsies and unicorns, especially that cute black one from my dreams. He needs it the most, you see. I am the adopted daughter of Lucifer, the Morningstar himself. I am Enid! Nice to meet you!"

She stretched out her hand before remembering that the door didn't seem to have any. She was just about to embarrassedly pull back her appendage but before she could do so, the wood stretched and enclosed her hand before stiffly moving up and down. She giggled at the strange sensation and almost pouted when her hand was released. With a sound like creaking wood, the door answered irritably.

"Yeah, yeah. Nice to meet you too I guess. Why didn't you tell me earlier who you are? This is your room for Hell's sake! I was placed here to let no one in that you don't allow inside! Since I was never told that you are adopted, I was keeping an eye out on a biological child of the Lord. Seriously, no one tells a door anything... This could have ended badly..."

They grumbled before fixing her with a glare.

"The name is Tophocraton, son of Leviathan, and I am your personal Gatekeeper. Let's get the formalities out of the way, shall we?"

So he was male. She was wondering about that. It was what she assumed but she didn't want to insult him in case she was wrong. What followed was setting a password (SparklyUnicorn1212) and some questions about the specifications he should use while guarding her quarters. Once they were done, she stood there for a moment, thinking about what she wanted to do with her time while her dad was busy. Her considerations were interrupted by her door.

"Now, why don't you tell me more about those sicknesses? They seem interesting in the most horrifying of ways. Just what I need to shake off the remnants of my hibernation."

With glee, she continued to share what she had researched out of curiosity. Wikipedia was a rabbit hole and she dived into it pretty regularly. It was fun and she liked sharing what she found with others.

The next morning, she went to search for the dining room after having the way pointed out to her by Tophy, who stared at her long and hard when she called him that before sighing and resigning himself to his Fate, but she was intercepted by her dad and quickly scooped up while giggling.

"Good morning, my dear. How did you sleep? It was your first night in Hell after all."

She grinned brightly at him, keeping herself pressed securely against him with her arms wound around his neck.

"I slept great! And I think I made a new friend! His name is Tophy and he's a door. He can do funny things with his wood!"

For some reason, her dad's lips twitched when she told him this. His answer was a careful.

"I see..."

She shrugged and went back to hugging him. She loved the feeling of warmth and safety he brought to her by merely being close by, but she utterly adored how the sensation intensified when he was cuddling with her. Her attention focused on her dad when he started talking.

"I had an interesting demand brought to me this morning. Someone seems to have convinced all the Gateway Demons in my employ of following a strictly vegan diet. You don't know anything about that, hmm?"

She thought for a moment before shaking her head with a smile while answering before asking a question of her own.

"Nope! What's for breakfast?"

She didn't understand why he was sighing with an amused little smile sitting firmly in the corners of his lips, but she did enjoy it when his arm tightened around her to cuddle her closer. She hoped Dinah was up already, since today was dad's turn to wake her up. She wanted to cuddle with her too since she didn't have the chance the day before. When she left her door to his own devices, her sister had already turned in and Enid didn't want to wake her up.

As she was carried by her dad, she snuggled into the hollow of his neck and contemplated what she was told by him about their excursion. They'd stay for two weeks, which was around a weekend on earth with how the dimensions were aligned right now. When she was asked if she wanted to come, she agreed almost instantly. She wanted to see her dad's home and how and where he usually lived. She was a bit sad that Trixie already had plans with her grandma, but it was a spontaneous decision and she understood that plans with family shouldn't be cancelled nilly willy. And she promised to come next time so all was good.

Already, she was enjoying their little trip to Hell. She met interesting people and her dad's house was as big as a palace! She was a bit sceptical when he first told her about it, but if anything, he downplayed its size. There were beautiful pictures everywhere and when she asked, he told her that most of them were drawn by himself! Obviously, she extricated the promise from him that he'd teach her some time.

The material the majority of the building was made of was new for her and her nose, as were many things she registered down here. It smelled interesting but not bad at all. The colour scheme was bad though. The crimson red was ok, but he should have gone brighter, not darker! With dark accents in the form of black, dark browns, and greys, everything looked dreary and intimidating. The whole thing lacked vibrancy, she thought and she was determined to bring more colour into her dad's home, that was for sure. When she told him as such, he nodded thoughtfully and agreed to let her help when he'd renovate as long as she didn't overdo it. She was giddy just thinking about it. He then commented that she was enough colour to cause a culture shock in a fair few demons who were regularly around, which made her pout and him chuckle. He could be mean sometimes, but he always made it up to her with some cookies or some hot and tasty champurrado. Sometimes even both!

There was one part of his mansion that she didn't want to change at all. She'd definitely keep the garden as it was however. It was a work of art with an uncountable number of exotic flowers and it smelled divine. What the building lacked in colours, the garden made up for. As of yet, that was her favourite place. When they neared the dining room, she paused her thoughts because she caught a hint of a familiar scent. She wiggled out of her dad's arms with a giggle and followed her nose. After all, she had a sister to ambush-cuddle.

~Chloe~

'What a mess...' She thought while sighing inwardly. Her mind replayed the scenes that brought her to this moment and she failed to see another path she could have taken. Substituting herself for the hostage, a 13-years old girl with a shock of red hair and freckles who looked scared out of her mind, was the correct decision. She couldn't have let the child suffer. It wasn't in her nature to do nothing when others were in danger. That fact didn't change that a supernatural terrorist with delusions of grandeur tried to use her to put the government under pressure. And after everything was over and the woman was under lock and key, she was brought here. Nondescript agents of some government agency 'escorted' her into this building under the pretense of needing her to give a full statement.

The only reason she was as calm as she was while sitting in what had to be the nicest interrogation room she'd seen as of yet was the simple fact that she could walk away at any time, should it become necessary. That said, she didn't even know which agency had her flagged and brought in. And what for, for that matter. If they didn't at least send someone to talk to her soon, she'd leave. It wouldn't even be a challenge. All she needed to do was just send a short prayer to one of her angelic friends and she was out of here. 'And what has my life come to to make that sentence a logical one?' She thought bemusedly, only to look up when the door finally opened.

In stepped an impressive figure. He was a tall man in his fifties with exceptionally broad shoulders. Despite his apparent age, no one would underestimate him. His body was abound with the kind of muscles that came from a very active lifestyle, and his body language showed none of the usual signs of age. His hair was of a subdued blonde colour with some interspersed grey and his steel blue eyes were hard and unyielding. What was visible of his tanned skin was pretty much the opposite of unblemished. It was littered with an impressive collection of faint scars that showed his extensive experience in the field even better than his apparent fitness. He held himself with a military discipline that was immediately noticeable if one knew what to look for. He let his gaze wander up and down her body and sent her a disappointed look.

"Ah. Another dolled up Barbie."

She bristled. Her eyes narrowed and she almost vented her frustrations then and there before realising what was going on. Forcefully, she reigned her temper in. Instead, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them again, they were filled with professional disinterest. He wanted to rile her up. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction. It was as easy as that. She didn't expect the derision to give way to a smile that could have been called friendly with a lot of imagination.

"Good self-control. That's an important trait."

He didn't elaborate, instead opting to sit on the chair across from her. He then leaned back with measured movements which showed nicely that he was convinced to be in control. She raised an eyebrow but otherwise didn't react. Instead, she let the silence between them stretch as he observed her with sharp eyes. It was a popular interrogation technique that she herself used quite often, but against someone who knew what was happening and was well versed in applying pressure, it was of negligible use. A small bubble of amusement rose in her. She still had no idea what exactly was going on, but if this was who they sent to intimidate her, she was disappointed. Sure, he struck an impressive figure with his well developed physique and the no-nonsense attitude he had going on, but she wasn't a slouch either and she had backup should she need it.

Finally, after around 15 minutes of her staring at him with a bemused glint in her eyes, he sighed. For a moment, his disciplined demeanour cracked and he sent her an exasperated glance before it was back in place as if the moment hadn't happened at all. His next words didn't make a lick of sense though.

"So... How do you think you can be of use to our organisation?"

Was the first question he directed at her after collecting himself. She drew a blank. 'What?' Her mind supplied, and it wasn't any more useful than her first reaction. He read her confusion obviously. It clearly was a tactic to keep her on the back foot, but since she did want to know what he meant, she handed the initiative over to him by asking just that. His expression took on a calculated hint of condescension. Just enough to be noticeable. Obviously, it was intentional and supposed to fish for a reaction from her. Once again she denied him the satisfaction and just waited.

"You seem to be under the impression that this is an interrogation, Ms. Decker. That isn't the case at all. This is a job interview, and I am supposed to test if you are a suitable addition to our agency. Well, since you don't seem to be inclined to share with us the extent of your considerable skills, let me elaborate on whose attention you caught. As a sign of trust, you see. We are what the general public calls a secret government agency. Have you ever heard of the FBSTA?"

She had. It was an offshoot of the FBI. They dealt with the supernatural side of things as far as she knew. FBSTA stood for Federal Bureau of Supernatural Threat Assessment. They were a reformed agency that appeared shortly after the FBI absorbed the PRT, which was an experimental government-funded quick-response unit that specialised in live combat with supernatural means on both sides. She didn't get any further than collecting her thoughts on the matter since he simply continued his spiel.

"I'll be frank. You caught our attention a while ago. You excelled in the academy, and afterwards continued to show excellent skills and instincts in the field. You showed yourself to be incorruptible and steadfast in your beliefs. All of that put you onto our shortlist. What made recruiting you a pressing matter however is the fact that you gained a Patron. We simply used this situation to our advantage."

He said that matter-of-factly without a hint of a doubt, but she failed to grasp the meaning. He interpreted her confused mien as an act and smiled placatingly.

"Don't worry about the generally active rules. I know you are not supposed to be telling anyone of the divine. That's not an issue however since we already know of the existence of those forces. We also know that they sometimes take interest in specific mortals and end up choosing them as their representatives. Those are usually called Champions but sometimes have more specified roles and take an epithet that hints at said role. Oracle, Guardian, Acolyte, you know. Stuff like that. Usually, those Champions either receive a Trinket of Power or they are given a hint of Essence gifting them an echo of the divine entity's Domain. In very rare cases, the champion is exceptionally valuable for a patron and both variations of empowerment occur. That's what we have determined to be the case for you."

Her expression must have looked strange indeed. Because now that she thought about it, the necklace with the pendant certainly qualified as a Trinket of Power. And from what she understood of her existence as a Miracle after Lucifer explained the matter to her, she was infused with the same kind of Essence he was, but only because they came from the same source. Technically, they were correct with their assumptions, but they were also dead wrong with the specifics. She didn't know if she wanted to clear the misunderstanding or not. Once again, her expressions were conveniently incorrectly interpreted. Sternly, he told her.

"Don't try to deny it. We gathered energy readings from around you and they were off the charts. Whoever took an interest in you is one of the stronger deities out there. As of now, we suspect one of the surviving greek gods. Someone connected to the aspect of justice or balance, judging from your Trinket."

She almost laughed in his face. While Lucifer had the build of one, he certainly wasn't a greek God. And while he was indeed connected to 'justice', it was in a manner that probably wouldn't enthuse those people nearly as much as they seemed to be right now. Would they still be as eager to recruit her if they knew who he was? Obviously, they didn't take his claims of being the literal Devil seriously.

Thinking of him, she'd like to pick his brain on the matter since he was well informed and probably knew more about this organisation than she did, and she supposed she could have prayed to him, but she didn't want to disturb him on what was essentially a business trip to Hell. It was his first visit since the whole mess with Dinah, and she definitely didn't want to be the reason for a lapse in his concentration. The man who truly seemed to like hearing himself talk rambled on.

"We also have more tangible proof in the form of the crushed remains of some bullets. It was all that was left of them after they landed on the protective forcefield your Trinket projected. There is no reason to deny your involvement with the divine. In fact, you'd be among peers if you joined up. We have a champion of Bacchus among ours and Hermes chose one of the squad leaders too. In addition, there are several other minor deities who decided to bless some of the agents we have in our roster. What I want to say is that you would be far better understood than by those who had no meaningful contact with the divine."

His arguments weren't what made her consider the offer seriously even though they were sound, and neither was it the probably far more generous salary or even the higher position in the totem pole that was law enforcement. It was the simple fact that she could have much more of an impact here than on the police force. The reason she joined law enforcement in the first place was to do something meaningful with her life and to help people who couldn't help themselves. She wanted to give back to the people who carried this country on their shoulders, and she chose to do so by offering them protection and justice.

Did she want to join up with them? It would be almost guaranteed to be more dangerous. Her means to defend herself against the supernatural were... limited to say the least. While she was slowly learning to access her 'Spark of Divinity' as Lucifer called it, she wasn't even near ready to actually do anything meaningful with it. Even Trixie was doing better than her, if only because her mind was still so very flexible and prone to adjust to such unusual stimuli.

On the other hand She was pretty certain that the offer was only open for a limited time. It was a fleeting opportunity, but she wanted to think things through before making a decision. As she worked through the inner turmoil, the recruiter who impolitely still hadn't even mentioned his own name stayed silent, observing her once again with sharp eyes. Finally, she answered while meeting his gaze.

"I honestly don't think I am ready to join your organisation yet. It hasn't been long since I was promoted to the rank of Detective, and while you aren't exactly wrong in your assumptions, I am far too inexperienced in dealing with the supernatural. Before I plunge into the deep end and join an organisation exclusively involved with that world, I'd like to gather experience alongside my... Patron as you call him. If you offered me this chance in even just a month, I'd have been far more likely to accept. As I am right now, I'll have to decline."

He looked at her with an unreadable expression for a moment before leaning forward and steepling his fingers. He projected a professional calmness before he continued his sales pitch with a measured voice.

"That is of course your good right, but please consider the following. We wouldn't send you into the field immediately. You would undergo extensive training and your instructors would be well versed in the supernatural. Our archives are extensive and while you would only be able to access the first level of it, the information is still more than most learn of the supernatural side of the world in their whole lifetime."

He paused for a moment, his eyes intently staring into hers to read her reaction. She had to admit he was getting to her a bit. The offer was genuine as far as she could tell. He continued after seemingly finding what he was looking for.

"No matter what, you did earn yourself a good measure of respect for both, your selfless deed today, and the way you calmly dealt with the situation without letting it get out of hand. Even without our certainty of your divine involvement, we would have extended an offer of employment in the upcoming weeks. Having met you, I can agree at least in part with the assessment. You weren't intimidated, and despite facing an unusual situation you kept your calm and showed nerves of steel. I do think you are ready to step up your game and become involved in the so-called 'big leagues'."

She sighed and sent him a slightly amused glance that had him show the barest hint of a smirk. He knew that she knew that he was putting it on somewhat thickly, but also that he was honest with his words. He really did think that. Still... At the very least, she'd had to talk it all over with her closest circle.

"Look, you would've had me here if I was alone. But that isn't the case. I have a daughter and some children who are very dear to me, and I need to be responsible and thorough in my decisions. If I'm put on the spot, snap decisions like the one today have to be made quickly and I can't really think about consequences except for the immediate ones. That isn't the case here so I'd like some time to think it over. Is this confidential or am I allowed to discuss this with some of my confidants?"

He thought it over for a moment before pulling out a strange device that might have been a phone once. He quickly typed in something and waited around 20 seconds before it vibrated. Once he'd read the answer, he turned back to her.

"You may talk about this in vague terms. No details though, please. For what it's worth, I agree with you. I myself joined up with the FBSTA roughly ten years ago. I declined the first few times because I wanted to be there for my son. He... Would have graduated this year. Afterwards... I didn't have much to live for so I joined in the hope of at least averting some cases like mine."

He swallowed hard clearly using his iron self-control to force the pain back behind his shields. 'A broken man.' She realised, struck by the horror of the thought that was losing her daughter and empathy for a man who had to carry his own son to his grave. Decisively, she stuck her hand out to him while giving him a compassionate smile.

"You certainly know my name and probably everything down to my eating habits from your files already but let me officially introduce myself. Chloe Decker. Detective of the LAPD."

He looked at her, assessing her for a moment, before grabbing her hand with a firm but comfortable grip. He was confident enough in his masculinity to not need to intimidate her with some additional pressure, it seemed.

"Lukas Brito. Senior Agent of the FBSTA. Friends call me Luke. A pleasure to meet you, surprisingly."

There was some humour in his voice, but it was weak and easily seen through as a facade to hide the bone deep grief he suffered from. Not that she couldn't understand it. Time didn't heal all wounds, contrary to what some people claimed. She tilted her head slightly and quirked her lips in a very deliberate amused angle.

"Likewise. Though the invite was a bit on the rough side, the company was surprisingly pleasant."

They shared a grin before he stood and went to the door, opening it himself to let her out.

"I assume you know the way out. Oh, and out of curiosity, were we correct in our assumption? Are you the Champion of a greek God associated with justice?"

She had no idea what they could do with the information but decided it couldn't hurt to be deliberately a bit obtuse.

"Oh no, the pantheon I am associated with is a bit more... Monotheistic let's say."

He looked at her alertly and suddenly a bit alarmed.

"Abrahamic religions share one deity and He hasn't chosen a Champion since truly ancient times. Believe me. We'd know."

He reminded her sternly and she smiled at him with a wink.

"Don't forget that he has many children. They may not qualify to be counted among deities, at least not all of them, but they do have access to Divinity. As for the association with Justice, you are correct in that assumption at least."

That should send them on the wrong track while being entirely truthful. Lucifer was a bad influence, she realised, even when he wasn't present. As she left Lukas to think upon the information, she wondered what her favourite Devil was up to.

~Lucifer~

He had arrived at the compound of a Demon Clan whose status had recently been elevated. They were under his rule, and staunch supporters at that, so he felt obligated to check in with them and congratulate the head for his achievement. He had taken his daughter's with him but didn't want them to be bored, so after clearing it with the head-servant and making sure that nothing too dangerous was living in the woods, he allowed them to roam the grounds and explore while he was supposed to meet the noble demon who was in charge of this area. The man was a force to be reckoned with on a battlefield. He wasn't an Ascended, but he was quite strong and surprisingly insightful.

Despite his martial might and competence, he only recently reached the level of influence to push his family up from the rank of Earldom into that of a Marquis. What he certainly didn't expect was to to find someone he knew when he entered the parlour to wait for the man. Someone who certainly shouldn't have been here.

"Why are you here, Gomez?"

He asked the jovial man who seemed just as surprised as him with genuine confusion colouring his voice as he stepped fully into the tastefully decorated room. It hadn't changed much since his last visit. The only addition was the head of a carnivorous Mammoth on the wall showcasing the trophies of his personal hunts. It was one of the nastier creatures out there and if he hunted the beast alone, it was worthy of praise. That wasn't important at the moment however. He'd much rather know, what the Addams Patriarch was doing in this part of the realms. Oh, he knew the clan had settled in Hell for their afterlife after fleeing Silver City. They collectively looked revolted back then when they appealed to him for a place to establish their afterlife. The memory was a peculiar but fond one.

'It's... It's so bright! And appallingly peaceful! How can anyone spend an eternity in such a place?! There isn't a single dark corner to hide in, no decrepit crypt to make all the Light somewhat livable. Not even a single graveyard! The shadows are eradicated before they can even form! That was supposed to be heaven? It certainly isn't ours. It might be a reward for others and we won't judge them for their bad taste, but to us, an environment such as this is nothing more but an unbearable punishment. Please, oh wise one, the Lord of Cinders, the Prince who cannot lie. Please grant us the right to settle in your realm. The seven hells are far more inviting a place for our kind than anything Heaven has to offer. In return, we will acknowledge you as our Liege. Our considerable skills are to be used at your behalf and we will do our very worst to bring ruin to your enemies.'

The pure and genuine disgust they felt for his Father's creation was music to his ears, especially back then when everything was still raw and he was hurting from the consequences of The Fall. There was never a doubt that he'd grant them their wish. He afforded them a small stretch of land close to his own Seat of Power since they had the wisdom to reject his Father. He'd take them in even if it was only to spite Him.

Ever since, every single Addams whose life ended, voluntarily or less so, found their way to Hell. But Gomez wasn't dead. He'd know. He wasn't an embodied soul, but a living and breathing creature of questionable origins, as were all Addams with their rather diverse family tree. He still couldn't puzzle out just what exactly Ignatius Itt was beneath all that hair, for example.

As for the Addams Patriarch, he would be a far way from 'home' even if he was dead. This was the territory of one of the strangest demonic clans in the underworld. They listened to the rememberable name of Frump and originated from a batshit insane fellow who found a severely injured mindflayer and decided it was a good idea to bring her home and nurse her back to full health. In the process, he wooed her and they lived terrifyingly ever after. Somehow, Lucifer found himself in the role of the master of ceremonies for their unholy matrimony. They were a cute but horrifying pair all things considered, and they founded a Clan that was incredibly adept at manipulating psychic energies. The ability manifested in diverse ways, but most had access to at least a small degree of precognition, telepathy, and telekinesis.

His attention turned back to the man in front of him since he apparently was ready to answer. He held out a glass filled with fine scotch of a remarkable demonic producer. He enjoyed mortal brews, but there was something special in the burn of a good infernal liquor. Lucifer took in the scent of the beverage and raised an amused eyebrow at the audacity the Patriarch showed. This was a very limited vintage of which he only had two bottles in possession. It was obviously a prized acquisition and he took it from the liquor cabinet and opened the bottle almost carelessly. The gesture wasn't acknowledged beyond a small flash of amusement as the man greeted him enthusiastically.

"My Liege! It is an absolute travesty to meet you here. I am simply visiting my wife's family. In laws, you know how it is. They usually try to kill you at least seven times before they finally accept you as one of their own. I just survived the sixth attempt! And let me tell you, it was a close one this time! Truly makes the old pump work overtime! I hope the seventh will be just as exhilarating!"

The strange man he'd call a friend explained with a voice oozing exuberance. It was clear he was just as unconditionally happy as always, though clearly still rather hyped up about the recent attempt on his life. He knew that his mood would change abruptly once his Family was threatened. He would then become a rather impressive berserker by mortal standards, intent on ending any and all threats. A man and a family he could respect. Strange as their philosophy was at times, he certainly found appeal in it. Especially since his daughter seemed to embody some of the aspects completely, as did he himself, such as unconditional acceptance and Freedom. Oh, he knew she was slowly developing her own Grace and thus growing into a celestial being. Her connection to him was growing stronger and stronger and they were easily capable of communicating even through different dimensions by now. He loved the feeling of tangibly growing closer.

The bond she shared with him was stronger than it ever was to the Sinclairs which was a pleasant thought to say the least. They didn't deserve her and he was glad he found her before they could ruin the marvelous person she was. As for the connection, he knew that Dinah shared a similar outlook on it. Once she gave in and started to actively learn to use his Light after realising that it wasn't responsible for her misfortune, she found that she shared a bond of kin with both of them. It was so comforting to her that she cried a little while being held by Enid as he folded his Wings over both of them. A tender moment he'd appreciate forevermore, though that train of thought wasn't a priority now. Mildly, he looked at the Patriarch as he took a sip of the brew. It was just as delicious as he remembered.

"I wasn't aware of you marrying, least of all one of my subjects. I know we haven't had much contact in recent years, especially since you spent most of your time managing your assets in the mortal realm and I was busy in Hell, but this would have at least necessitated a small notification, I'd think. Whyever was I not invited to the ceremony? I thought we were friends. I would have stood as your, how do you call it, ah, as your Worst Man, had you asked. After all, is there a worse man than me?"

Gomez looked faintly embarrassed as he took in his sardonic smile, and his moustache twitched in that way it did when he was uncomfortable. He brightened up quickly, though, and he quickly lost himself in memories while he recounted what had happened. The rambling made Lucifer shake his head rueful amusement, but he listened dutifully.

"Well, first of all it was a spontaneous thing to happen back then. A whirlwind romance if you so want, and just as destructive as one too! Though I do have to admit, for me it started far earlier. My precious Tish... I found her again after first witnessing her Summoning back in Nevermore! The way she stepped out of the circle that was supposed to hold her was beyond elegant. It seemed as if she was gliding over the floor with tantalising grace and an undertone of danger. The shivering girl who called her into the mortal realm was terrified beyond belief, but all Morticia did was teach her how to make the binding stick, and far more painful than it was supposed to be. I knew all the way back then that she was the only one for me."

The way he stared into the void, clearly thinking fondly of his wife while sighing, was uncomfortably familiar to Lucifer. Unbidden, the moments he had with Chloe rose to the surface of his thoughts, and his prodigious mind began to draw unwanted parallels before he could stop the thoughts from forming. Firmly, he pushed them, and the frown that wanted to form on his brows, down. Now wasn't the time to dwell on such things. He missed the knowing glint in Gomez's eyes that disappeared as quickly as it formed. His focus centered on the Addams Patriarch again as he continued narrating with as much energy as was usual for him.

"Alas, she escaped to the infernal realms after fulfilling her task, and I failed to work up the courage to talk to her in time. Larissa refused to offer up the ritual she used to contact her, which made the chase all the more challenging. Then, ten years ago, it happened. I found her again! I was visiting family by trying out a transport-based ritual our family recently dug out of the archives. It misfired spectacularly! The experience was delightfully painful, but what waited on the other end was even more rewarding."

The way he smirked made his eyes glimmer. They had made themselves at home while Gomez talked, occupying the comfortable chaise longue which was clad in the leather of a beast he didn't immediately recognise. Infernal zoology was more Maze's area of expertise than his. He was no slouch, but she had most of the manifold beasts in all the realms in his command memorised.

"My time while I was incarcerated at this very mansion was one of heavy-handed torment that left scars all over my body. I enjoyed every single minute of it! All miserable things have to end though, and they did when my Tish decided she wanted me for herself and broke me out to elope with me. I do remember dropping in at your place shortly after, but you weren't present at the time."

He mulled it over for some moments before shrugging with a slightly helpless smile beneath his moustache.

"As far as I know you were away on a campaign against Belial I think. The old chap overreached and paid dearly for it if I remember correctly. Directly afterwards, you announced a prolonged stay in the mortal realm and I stayed in Hell for a while for private reasons. We continued to miss each other since then. As you know, Time doesn't always correctly align between the realms and it is a challenge to properly organise anything with chaotic temporal differences in the way."

He was right in both matters. Around that time, the Infernal Lord decided he wanted more territory and infringed on Lucifer's assets. Something he took... Unkindly to. There was a reason why the Archdemon treaded carefully the past few years despite his absence. As for the time-difference, sometimes a few days on earth could stretch for years in the deeper infernal realms. It wasn't quite as bad here near the 'surface' so to speak but the difference could still end up being quite substantial.

"Grandmama also told me not to worry too much. She said you'd learn of it eventually and that the overall effects would be much more explosive when I leave it be until you find out yourself. She is strange even by our standards, but I trust her implicitly and even though her cackling had a slightly worrying undertone, I do not think she'd mislead me. She always has the best for the Clan in her mind. Well, mostly at least."

'Of course. I've suppressed that the old crone is still alive...' He thought to himself, already feeling a slight headache coming. Judging by the amusement dancing in Gomez's eyes, he knew the state of his mind. Grandmama Addams. A menace beyond natural order. She was as clear sighted as they came from birth and went so mad from it that she went full circle. He remembered the Outer Wars and her role in it, and it wasn't a pleasant memory.

He was reluctantly impressed after he observed what she was capable of with a ladle. Some minor deities did as well, and first hand at that. In addition, they were forcefully summoned by her rituals, trapped by her elaborate and completely mad runic arrays, and force-fed her concoctions. He didn't witness personally what happened, but he did get a glimpse of the aftermath and it wasn't pretty. They thought the Addams Clan was easy pickings and went after them. It didn't end well. As in, they faded and she picked up some domains that she really had no business in holding as she technically was a mortal and her mind shouldn't have been capable of enduring the strain. Didn't stop her, though.

She wasn't at the level where he'd count her among his equals in pure power, far from it actually. But she was devious, dangerous, slippery, and consequently someone not to fuck with as those more uncouth than him would say. She could do much damage before he'd finally be able to pin her down and even then, she'd go out with a last hurrah. Luckily, they were on good terms mostly, though she seemed to be fond of pranking him for some reason. And it was always a long con, planned years before.

The foreboding feeling he had right about now was far too late to even attempt countermeasures. He was resigned to it and was glad that she wasn't all that malicious towards him. She knew how far she could push before he would... retaliate. Severely. He looked more intently at the man in front of him. He had that look in his eyes that he spied in his own more and more often recently when he looked into the mirror. A sly grin spread on his lips for a moment before he hid it away. If he couldn't get to Grandmama directly, he'd at least play a small one on his friend. He collected himself and addressed the formidable man.

"It's fine, I suppose. Though, it would be far harder to forgive if you didn't find it necessary to inform me if you produced an heir."

The startled look Gomez gifted him with was a rare treat indeed. The man was usually as unflappable as they came. As such, he savoured the moment before chuckling and letting a friendly grin spread on his features.

"Relax, my friend. I already know you are a father of one at least. You see, I acquired a few daughters of my own recently and I recognised that look of pride in your eyes."

Gomez eased up and let a smile showing deepest affection spread beneath his moustache. His eyes, usually glimmering with mirth and the mostly subdued mania his family was so famous for, lit up with adoration of the highest degree. At once, Lucifer realised that this man would do everything for his children. There was no limit at all. With that realisation, a certain sense of camaraderie rose in him. Because he was the same. He'd rather burn down the world than to let any harm come to his three daughters.

"I have two, actually. My first-born, my little night terror Wednesday and her younger brother. My dearest pustule Pugsley. They are the darkest shadows in my life. My most important achievement. The fruits of my deepest obsession. Some might call the emotion I feel towards my family love, but I think that is too light a word for the all consuming tempest that rages within me whenever I think of them. There is one in a different language that is barely enough to describe what I feel, though."

Gomez looked directly into his eyes and Lucifer found a core of steel, tempered by scorching insanity. And then he uttered a word in Enochian, the madman. A word so deep in meaning that it was far too easy to drown in it. The language simply wasn't designed to be comprehended by a mortal mind, and as such his audacity wasn't without consequences, though they were far lighter than he expected. One of his eyes and both nostrils began leaking blood, but he never broke eye-contact.

"No one will hurt them if they don't consent to it. No. One."

It was a simple statement with a far deeper meaning. He didn't take it personally. If anything, he respected him even more now. Gomez was doing what every good father should do. He proved his mettle and stared into the face of a higher power. He was prepared to die for his children while ripping out a pound of flesh to make the job of finishing him easier. A genuine smile spread on his lips. Then and there, he made the decision to deepen the relationship between their families. Maybe he'd be open to some playdates? With his unwavering smile still in place, he stated with a serious undertone.

"Of course not. After all they'd have to go through the Devil himself to reach them. Now, do tell me about your horrid spawn while we wait for your father in law. In return, I'll let you know some of what my own have been up to."

It took Gomez a moment to react to his words, but when he did, it was with a boisterous laugh before he launched into a tale of being nailed to a wall by several knives, thrown by his precious daughter. The pride in his voice was clear as day.

"Her accuracy is immaculate! She even managed to hit my slippery worm of a brother. He was so proud of her, he kept the knife lodged in his shoulder for days! Sadly, he accidentally removed it with an electromagnetic field in his sleep. He was inconsolable for weeks."

Lucifer smiled wrily. The family was still just as crazy as he remembered, but the charisma they held was off the charts as well. He could see that there was something weighing on the man though.

"Tell me Gomez, what are you so conflicted about?"

He asked curiously, making Gomez smile a defeated smile.

"You are as sharp as ever, my Liege. Recently, I ventured to the mortal realm with my children in tow for the first time in their lives. They were excited to see the ever famous Realm of Man, and dear Wednesday even managed to convince me to bring along her pet scorpion Nero."

He schooled his features when he heard the words pet scorpion. It wasn't the most unusual pet he'd seen a child with, but it was up there. 'By Addams standards it is close to normal though.' he thought to himself as he remembered Bruno the living polar bear rug, and Kitty Kat, the cowardly lion. Cleopatra counted too he supposed. That plant understood far too much and she was a vicious little beast. Mobile too for a representative of the floral kingdom.

"Well, she decided the little critter needed a bit of an outlet for his accumulated energy and so she took him for a walk. Sadly, that's where everything went wrong. She met some other children who took offense. They didn't want to see a little freak taking a scorpion for a walk, so they restrained her and ran him over with a bike. Repeatedly."

The smoldering rage he felt at the thought of the emotional wound such an encounter would strike in a child was nothing to the unyielding inferno that raged in Gomez's eyes before he managed to control himself.

"I've dealt with them of course."

He commented with an indifferent air before elaborating slightly.

"Their parents are financially ruined, child care services took them away from their problematic homes, and they will not leave the system until they are of age which should be punishment enough. For now. If they do not change their ways, they'll disappear permanently down the line."

It was the Addams kind of justice, though a rather mild form of it. He showed some mercy most likely because they were kids and didn't know better than what they learned at home. Indirectly, he gave them a chance to turn their lives around. Lucifer didn't have a leg to stand on from a moral standpoint. He would have done much worse, most likely. He'd have shown them a glimpse of Hell at the very least. Gomez pulled his attention back to himself when profound despair entered his voice.

"But that doesn't change the fact that Wednesday was deeply traumatized by the event. While I'm sure she will come to appreciate the childhood trauma for what it is down the line, right now she is hurting. And she refuses any and all of our attempts to help. She began seeing emotional bonds as a weakness when they are what enables us to reach unknown heights. She's closed off and oh so different than she once was. I am immeasurably proud of her, but nothing will ever hurt me more in my life than the statement that she does not need to be coddled any longer and that she will not be on the receiving end of any more maudlin physical affectations. She doesn't even let me hug her close any more!"

He wailed bitterly as if a dam had broken. He certainly had a flair for dramatics, not that he didn't know that already. Absentmindedly, he tried imagining his reaction if Enid said something similar. The dichotomy of his imagination to the reality of things made him shiver. He didn't even want to think of how cold he'd feel if she ever refused his embrace. He looked at the grown man sobbing, and noticed that it probably wasn't too far off his own reaction if something like this ever happened to him. Curiously, he asked.

"Would it be possible to meet your daughter? I may be capable of helping to mend the rift. Did you take her with you to visit her grandparents or is she back at your manor?"

The moustached man brightened up immediately and grinned at him.

"Right now, she should be adding extensively to the dangers these woods pose. She said she needed a bit of exercise so she went off to explore."

Lucifer hummed thoughtfully. She was doing the very same thing he allowed Enid and Dinah to indulge in. But the forest was a sizable one and it extended quite far in three directions. How high a chance was there that they'd run into each other?

"Gomez Addams! If you once again plundered my liquor cabinet, I feel morally obligated to inform you that I will remove your spleen through your eyeball and force-feed it to you!"

Lucifer snorted at the sudden anticipation in Gomez's features. The man truly hadn't changed much since he met him the last time.

~Dinah~

She looked at the surrounding flora dubiously and secretly assessed the threat they posed to her life. Surprisingly, most of them were rather benign despite their fierce appearances. Forests in Hell looked far more intimidating than their counterparts on earth. Trees with eyes were glaring at them menacingly and flowers with sharp edges rattled their hardened blossoms at them if they ventured too close. Everything seemed to have a strange red hue, which made it seem as if the whole forest was tinged in blood.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?"

She drawled sarcastically with a sardonic grin on her lips as she watched Enid absentmindedly avoid another swipe from what seemed to be the hellish equivalent of a tulip. The eye watering girl turned to her and returned her edge with a far more friendly smile as she answered with unmatched enthusiasm.

"Of course I am! Dad said there is nothing in these woods that would pose a threat to either of us. So let's explore! Let's make friends with infernal woodland creatures! Together, we are a formidable team! No one will oppose us."

Dinah watched her bravado with growing amusement and waited for the moment she'd foreseen. '3... 2... 1... Now.' With a yelp, the blonde girl, who had recently exchanged her orange highlights for purple ones, slipped on a strange piece of undergrowth that was secreting some kind of slick liquid. Enid groaned from the ground and Dinah cracked a slight smile as she helped her up.

"It seems there is indeed someone who opposes you. She is clad in way too many colours and seems to be a bit careless."

The look she got for that comment was almost a glare. Almost. It quickly transitioned into a pout and a whine though.

"Stop being mean, Dinah! You are my precious sister and you are supposed to support me in all my ventures."

She spied as the pout twitched, fighting its quick death and resurrection as a smile. While she observed that particular hopeless battle happening, she fondly looked into her sister's eyes. They were deep pools filled with affection beyond measure.

"Oh, I do. But no one said I can't point out your inadequacies while doing so. And neither did anyone forbid me to snark at you. I fear you'll have to live with that. For the record though, I still think this is a bad idea. You didn't even let me predict anything except for our chances to die. That's really careless, you know?"

Her concerns were waved away by Enid.

"Nu uh, no precognition! It wouldn't be an adventure if I let you predict everything. An adventure has surprises and epic battles! Damsels in distress! Dragons! Villains and Heroes! And at least one unicorn. preferably several."

Her careless and stubborn sister nodded importantly to emphasize her points and Dinah sighed. She wouldn't budge on this, would she? 'Well, it shouldn't be too bad. Less than 1% chance of either or both of us dying, below 10% chance of a serious injury, and only around 17% chance of getting hopelessly lost, which is still pretty high if I take Enid's nose into consideration. 78.911% chance to have a life-changing encounter though. I wonder what that's about.' Concluding her thoughts, she accepted the outcome. She'd still try to convince her though.

"What would dad say if he knew we went off the known trails?"

She slyly asked as they'd begun walking again. Her sis stumbled before answering somewhat uncertainly.

"Uhm, he'd be proud of the courage and daring I display?"

She stared at the girl for a long moment before sighing. Again.

"Probably."

She admitted with a wry smile. '82% chance for that to happen, actually. He'd also scold her and make her promise to not do it again without first informing him though.' a swishing sound that was very familiar to her ears alerted her of an attack. Before she could even react, Enid was already a blur of motion. The first knife ricocheted into the second one after a horizontal swipe with her claws and she caught the last one with a flourish before inspecting it curiously.

"That's a really well made knife. I think it would even get a passing grade from Maze."

That statement got a raised eyebrow from Dinah. High praise indeed, that was. She took care to pay attention to the possible position of the attacker but she needn't have bothered. Out of the bushes stepped the quintessential mini goth. She was probably around Enid's age. She was clad in an elaborate victorian-style dress complete with corset that wasn't quite appropriate for the current surroundings and made her look a bit like a doll. Both of her hands were occupied by the same kind of bladed weapons she had so adeptly lobbed at them. At non-lethal spots as she idly noticed beforehand.

Her expressionless face was pale enough to make one believe she was dead, and the only signs of emotions were those deep brown pools she called eyes. They were sparking with irritation which was underlined by reluctant respect. Without prior warning, Enid threw on the floodlights she called a smile and turned the weapon on the newcomer. She blinked. The movement of her eyelids was strange, as if she wasn't used to using them.

"That were some really nice throws! It's polite to tell your playmate that you want to play though. Well, Maze does do ambush drills to from time to time so it's ok I guess. Now, ready or not I'm coming!"

With a startled jerk, the girl launched herself sideways when her own knife smashed through the tree behind her. She looked at the damage in silence for a moment before her gaze snapped back to Enid. If Dinah wasn't wrong, her eyes were a tad wider than before. With a slight smirk, she sat down on the perfectly situated flat stone behind her to watch the encounter. She had an inkling that this was the life-changing encounter she had prophesied, and belatedly realised that she hadn't exactly specified for whom the encounter would end up being life-changing.

As she crossed her legs and rested her elbows on her knees to support her head on her hands, she thought that this would probably end up being an entertaining afternoon after all. People who knew Enid would probably be astonished at her resorting so quickly to violence. They didn't realise that she was being trained by Maze. And somehow, Maze convinced her that people who were attacking her only wanted to play, and that she'd need to resort to the same level of violence against them. Otherwise it would be impolite. So if someone threw a knife at her? She'd throw it right back. And this girl had not just done that, but she also indicated the readiness to engage Enid in melee by keeping herself armed as she stepped into the small clearing they were in.

As expected, her sister didn't give the girl much of a chance to react and surged forward with her claws out. The visceral movement and savage glee radiating from her stood in stark contrast to the innocent smile on her face, making encountering her in battle a charring experience as this strange goth would soon realise. She managed to get her feet beneath her and pushed herself away from Dinah's charging sister, getting some distance between them. Just enough to scramble up and mount a defense.

Alas, while impressive, it wasn't quite enough. Quick as lightning, Enid dived beneath the knives and was in her guard. Ready for her death, the girl closed her eyes only to open them again when instead of having her throat ripped to shreds, she felt a light impact against her forehead.

"Tag! You're it!"

Enid crowed into her face and dashed out of the girl's range. It took Dinah's everything to not just burst out in laughter. The befuddled look on the goth's face was the first expression she'd shown and it was glorious. She had impressive self-control for a child, but she was still lacking a tad in comparison to her. After all, she learned under the pressure of torture and the influence of mind- and soul-altering substances. What she didn't want to show, she didn't show. It was as simple as that.

It took her a moment to reboot, but when she did, the goth bristled. With fairly impressive speed, she started her pursuit, only to be avoided by Enid time and time again with a cheeky grin and some needling comments that made her all the more aggressive for it. That was another aspect of the 'game' that Maze made out of violence. Banter. The more serious the situation, the less Enid was supposed to talk. That she was openly laughing and needling her opponent must have meant that she didn't take this encounter all that seriously. That wasn't to say that the monochrome girl wasn't dangerous. The opposite was the case. She never committed the same mistake twice. Her movements became more and more optimised. She was growing better at a visible rate. Impressive really. Just not impressive enough for Enid because she was doing the same. She learned from her opponent, and her base stats far exceeded the ravenette. A bad combination for any opponent.

She was distracted from her observations by a peculiar occurrence. She wasn't alone any longer on her stone. Instead, some...one? joined her. A severed hand that looked remarkably alive and agile for an appendage that seemed to be a far way from the rest of its body. Mentally, she calculated and realised that she had well over 20 questions left until she'd begin to feel a headache. Idly, she did what she almost always did when meeting new people nowadays and internally asked for his potential and actual threat to her and Enid's life. She quickly hid her surprise when the former landed on 38.423% for her and 24.009% for Enid. This hand was startlingly dangerous. Luckily he had no interest in hurting either of them according to her Light.

"So. I'm guessing you can understand me. You with the gothy brat?"

She asked the hand and got the distinct feeling of amusement from it. It then tapped a question in morse code and repeated it with sign language. Amusedly, she answered.

"Both. I understand both. Though I'm more fluid with American Sign than morse."

'That's impressive for someone so young.'

It commented before answering the question that sparked their communicational efforts. The reason they were successful at all was a deaf cousin she wanted to talk to. Her young and lacking mind back then was convinced that Deborah could understand morse so she stubbornly learned in secret only to embarrass herself in front of her family. She was 4 years old back then. Luckily, Debbie took no offense and taught her sign afterwards and they were good friends. At least until her parents died. She refused any and all contact for a good while then and once she was ready to confront the pity and false condolences of her extended family, it was already too late. Shortly afterwards, she was abducted and used for horrible deeds. Banishing the dark thoughts that began to encroach on her, she focussed on the answer.

'I am indeed the ever loyal servant of the young Mistress. Who exactly is she playing with?'

A fleeting mischievous smile flashed over her lips, quicker than most could possibly perceive.

"Oh, no one special. She's just my sister Enid. Her surname might cause a bit of alarm though. We are Morningstars, you see."

The hand stiffened for some long moments before slowly signing.

'With Morningstar, you mean that Morningstar, right?'

This time, she let the smile deepen before she answered.

"Is there another? It would be rather suicidal to claim familiar bonds with the Devil himself while visiting Hell if it wasn't true, wouldn't it?"

It signed its agreement before falling 'silent'. She observed it for some more moments, amusement bubbling beneath the surface, before turning her eyes back to the playing pair. They had transitioned from tag to something more akin to sparring. She was impressed with the goth girl's skill as she barely managed to keep up with Enid. Sure, she wasn't giving it her all but she was having fun. Enid was guiding their steps a bit thanks to her abnormally heightened senses, and what they were doing looked choreographed even though this was the first time they met. Her 'dance' partner clearly was also having fun, though there was a heavy dose of confusion to be noticed too.

Finally, they disengaged and the goth observed Enid warily while breathing heavily. Her sister was in top form and had enough energy to power LA for some days on end, so she was completely fine.

"Who are you, what are you doing in the woods of my grandparents, and how are you so strong?"

The first words out of her mouth were delivered with an infection-less and slightly breathless voice that somehow managed to still sound abrasive. Dinah frowned inwardly. Did she have to be so... hostile? Her entire attention was diverted by Enid striking a pose and it took quite a bit out of her to not gape at the scene in front of her. 'She took that seriously?! How often did she introduce herself like that?! And why did no one tell me? That's absolutely hilarious!' The hand seemed to think similarly as it seemed to lock up for a moment before breaking down in its own brand of hilarity. Dinah truly regretted not packing a camera or some such.

The metaphorical cherry on top of this situation was the goth girl's reaction. She just looked lost and done with the world. 'I was right. This ended up being far more entertaining than expected.'

~Wednesday~

She stared at the back of the impossibly bright monstrosity in front of her with dead eyes as she followed along. They were on their way back to the mansion and the things that had happened in rapid succession simply failed to compute. This strange and colourful aberration of nature played with her in a way she hadn't experienced since she duelled her most despised uncle. Stubbornly, she stomped on the warmth that wanted to flare within her chest cavity. Positive emotions were a weakness. She saw near-daily that they made incoherent fools out of otherwise competent people. Her parents were perfect examples of that fact. The only types of heat she wanted in her chest was the acidic burn of rage, the unforgiving and uncontrollable inferno of Fury, and the smoldering gleam of wrath.

She lightly shook her head to get her thoughts in order. She was played with by a blonde fool with an addiction to colour. She looked like the conjuration of a mind, addled with unspeakable chemical concoctions. A war crime waiting to happen. She wondered how many epileptic seizures she caused with this outfit, and if her others were similarly debilitating. Was she using her clothes to distract her opponents? Was there actually a sense behind dressing like a multicoloured signal flare? She wasn't sure and she certainly wouldn't ask.

The brightness of her clothes wasn't the only one she noticed. Her entire demeanour was bright. Everything about her screamed 'Sun' into her face, and she worried about burning away in the wake of her boundless enthusiasm. It was abhorrent. It hurt her eyes and it made her blink far too often. Short moments of vulnerability interspersed into her usually uncompromising alertness. It was simply unacceptable. But why... Why then was it that she found herself unable to look away? Was it like a Trainwreck? A catastrophe so eye-catching that it kept you spellbound? The other one caught a measure of her attention too. She was quiet, and some of her mannerisms reminded her of herself. It was clear to her mind that they shared parallels.

She thought she found a kindred spirit maybe. That was until she looked her into her eyes and found a mocking kind of loathing in there. The girl had judged her and found her wanting. For reasons she didn't quite grasp, she found that to be irritating. Supremely so. Especially since Thing had elected to ride on the girl's shoulder and they seemed to get along. Still, the one she... played with kept most of her mind occupied. She was an enigma. She projected her emotions, almost exclusively positive ones, outwards with a force that belied her small form. To be fair, everything about her belied her small form.

She felt a pleasant shiver roll down her spine when she thought back to the knife that shot at her with terminal speeds. Oh, she likely would have survived the impact, but her shoulder, and consequently her arm, would have been messily separated from her body. Only her superhuman reflexes saved her appendage and a part of her regretted her instinctive reaction. How would it have felt like? A forceful amputation like this? Shock would have taken away her pain for some moments, leaving her to admire the splinters that would have been left of her bones, reaching out of her flesh like sharp-edged parasites. Then the agony would have hit her. Wholly and intensely. She might have lost consciousness from it. And if not because of that, blood loss would have soon claimed her conscious mind anyways.

A larger part of her was glad for the intervention of her reflexes. While she did aspire to have an interesting demise, the tender age of 8 was a tad too young to allow for it to happen. She wanted to reach double digits at least. Additionally, she wouldn't have been able to perform such an exquisite dance of controlled violence otherwise. Reluctantly, she admitted to herself that she enjoyed their 'playtime'. She lost. And that was a bitter pill to swallow. But she learned. She grew. And she surpassed her former self once again.

If consecutive defeat was the price to pay to become the most capable version of herself that she could be, she'd pay it. Grudgingly and with elaborate death threats, but she'd pay. Because she had no illusions that she'd lose again and again and again. Enid Morningstar was that far beyond her. Which brought up the next point why she was strangely accepting of her loss. The person she lost to was the daughter of a man respected by her father and revered by her mother. She could live with losses as long as the source was a highly reputable one such as this. Of course, she pushed down the memory of how she learned that fact. Deep into the recesses of the dark swamp she called her mind went the introductory choreography of Lucifer's daughter. Repressing wasn't healthy at all, but no one claimed she followed a lifestyle benefiting her health.

Chapter Text

~Lucifer~

When he reached out with his senses, just to find two additional signatures with his little girls as they returned, he could only shake his head with a wry smile. Because of course they'd meet. Enid had a very real penchant for making impossible things possible. What was mere improbability in comparison? He looked at his two companions and marveled once again just how magnetic Gomez Addams was. It was very clear that Tauron Frump wanted to despise him. He wanted to loathe the man who snatched his daughter Morticia for himself despite being a lowly mortal. Not quite human but close enough to insult his sensibilities.

And yet, they were jovially joking and laughing while sipping at their drinks, minutes after Gomez was threatened with life embalming in the Egyptian style. It was strangely fitting. Addamses made friends from enemies quite often. Bonding over trying to murder each other seemed to lie buried somewhere in their blood. They did it to each other too, though there was a sentient curse on their Family line that negated most of the damage they could possibly cause each other. He came into close contact with it when he interacted with them since it liked to sniff around family friends to look if they were compatible to be included into the family.

He regarded the newly minted Marquis with some curiosity. He stood at close to 2.5 meters in height if one counted the horns. Closer to 2.2 without. He looked every bit the aristocrat he was if one disregarded the ludicrous amount of muscle mass on his body. His face looked mostly like a human's with the exception of seven small oscillating openings that lined both sides of his jaw, and it had a severe but rather young look to it. His black hair had some ashen streaks interspersed, which was the only sign of advanced age he showed. Impressive if one considered that he was well in his third millennium. He was wearing a custom made suit close to the colour of dried blood that was inspired by the Victorian era since he took a liking to the style. His facial hair was limited to an immaculately cut goatee, which fit him well.

He had good reasons to not want his daughter married to Gomez, all things considered. At least from his point of view. He feared a thinning of the rather potent blood running through their veins. It didn't help that his daughter was a rather rare kind of demon. She was what was called a Confluence Demon. She lost all abilities in other disciplines in exchange for a far more clear sight into the future. The veil in front of the mysteries of Fate might as well be nonexistent in front of her eyes. All three of them. They were situated in a decidedly aesthetically pleasing manner in her flawless facial features. Gomez certainly was a lucky fellow.

She grew up to be a comely young lady from the last time he met her if the 7014 pictures Gomez had saved on his phone were anything to judge from. In a file named 'Cara Mia', in which he collected them. They were saved under a subfolder named 'favourites', right besides the file holding more than triple that amount, filled with all the 'momentous' occasions in his kids' lives. The man lamented the fact that soon, he wouldn't have enough space to save them and that he'd need to upgrade from the current device but he was hesitant since there were so many memories connected to it. Most of which he had saved on it. The man was strange at the best of days but in terms of obsession for his family, Lucifer doubted anyone was farther gone than him.

Tauron seemed to warm up to the idea of keeping Gomez as his son-in-law, though. His continued fearlessness in the face of a towering monster of a man who was a clear aberration if compared to other Frumps seemed to have been enough to afford him some grudging respect. That he survived six attempts to finalise his stay in Hell did the rest. Tauron was a simple man in that regard. If you proved yourself worthy of his respect, you'd have it. Gomez had to work harder for it than most but if he knew the man as well as he thought he did, he could say almost with certainty that he enjoyed the journey and thought of it as family bonding.

This whole situation made him think back to his own first encounter with the man. The noble demon in charge of the Frump Clan was one of the few who only needed a single sparring session to bind himself by Ritual and Oath to him. Neither was really necessary, but he insisted. He was loyal to a fault once you had his fealty. And he'd do almost anything for his family. Altogether, the Frumps and the Addamses were a match made in Hell. They fit together like fire and brimstone and he was curious how this relationship would develop. Gomez was certainly going to continue needling his father-in-law and the responses were predestined to stay rather violent, that much was for sure. He turned his attention to his little girls plus two, and noticed that they weren't all that far away. He addressed his two drinking partners with a light smile on his lips, his soothing baritone silencing their conversation.

"Well, gentlemen. Our little girls seem to have found each other in the woods. Shall we welcome them back? They'll soon arrive. When we are out there, I can hand over the gift I created for you, Tauron. It's a bit too... unwieldy to be properly handled in your parlour."

He suggested and received unilateral and enthusiastic support to his proposal. Tauron looked a bit curious when he mentioned a gift, but the main part of his excitement was clearly focussed on meeting his granddaughter again. He might have held some dislike for Gomez, but it was clear that he adored the little girl. She was one of the topics father and grandfather bonded over without threats of violence.

Well, almost without. Some barbs were exchanged, but they lacked the heat of genuine murderous intent. Just some gratuitous maiming was implied at most. They were positively beaming at each other! Well, Gomez was beaming. Tauron was showing teeth, but with a lot of imagination, it could have been construed as a smile. He shook his head ruefully but kept his opinion to himself. It wasn't his place to interfere in the relationships between his 'subjects'. Especially since he never saw them in that light. They chose for themselves to serve under him. All he did was accept their freely given loyalty with the firm determination to return it tenfold.

His thoughts wandered to the time shortly after his Fall. He wasn't in the best of headspaces back then. Bitter and hurt, with only Mephistopheles to trust. And trust him, he did. The man had no need to aid him. He could have ended his life when they found each other on the battlefield. Instead, he swore fealty. A binding Oath that chained him to Lucifer forevermore. If he couldn't put his trust into such a man, who else would possibly be worthy? Nevertheless, he took a long while to recuperate. To mend the grievous wounds on his Soul, struck by his own sire. And he was more than just slightly aggressive in that timeframe, not least because of the new instincts and urges that reared their unsightly heads.

He took in a primal source of Power and it bonded intrinsically with him. It made him the chosen representative of an entire sub spectrum of this universe. A collection of dimensions older than even his Father. It was to be expected that he had to wrangle with it's Will for a long time to not lose himself to the foreign influence. Once he reached an accord with the primitive but overwhelmingly powerful consciousness behind the Infernal Realms, it became easier. He had new duties and responsibilities, but he was backed by the Will of the very world he resided in itself. Altogether not a bad arrangement, especially since he was in dire need of a new home.

Still, he was a moody bastard before finding the people who managed to reignite his compassion. He just wanted to be left alone to do what he had to do, but others kept bothering him so he beat them down more and more harshly until they fell in line. Slowly, as even the most powerful warlords fell in front of him, he pulled the attention of some truly ancient beings. They came knocking and he knocked right back, obliterating their forces and eviscerating their undying forms. He still could remember the savage smile he had on his lips back then as his tongue flicked out to taste the black ichor they bled. And oh, how they bled. Copiously. Safe to say, he was just a tad unhinged.

It did help him in creating an uneasy form of order though. As orderly as those creatures could become anyways. They were born for bloodshed and chaos after all. Slowly, he collected individuals he could see potential in and nurtured them. They grew on him and he began to care again. And the rest was history. As he emerged from the sudden dive into his memories, he found himself plus entourage waiting in front of the mansion. Their girls were still a bit away so it was a good moment to hand over the congratulatory gift. He reached into the sub-dimension he kept his Wings folded into and pulled out a truly ghastly armament that had kept them company for a short time.

A long blade made of seemingly rotten bones, spreading a sensation of decay. It was surrounded by four skulls of minor deities personally slain by him. It was hefted onto a long shaft of the polished wood taken from an offshoot of Yggdrasil, making the entire weapon reach a length of more than two and a half meters. It was a supremely powerful spear he had crafted. The weapon was the result and masterpiece of a hobby he had taken up some millennia ago. He dug it out of his collection and upgraded it a bit with some enchantments that would make it even more of a horror to face. It was a fine tool for murder and it would be befitting to be wielded by the hands of the best spear user he knew.

Under the awed eyes of Tauron, he presented the weapon. Reverently, he took it, firmed his grip, and performed a short and crisp kata, ending with a sharp thrust that produced a shockwave strong enough to damage the outer wall around twenty meters away. The man turned around to him and seemed to want to refuse but a single glance made him stop. Lucifer wasn't in the mood for this particular dance. Instead of refusing the admittedly generous gift, Tauron smiled wrily and lowered his head as he went to a knee in front of him.

"Thank you for this mighty weapon, my Liege. I shall use it to strike down your foes. Please let me reaffirm my Oath to you. Forevermore will the Fate of my Line be in your hands. We will live under your rule, and we will die at your command. We will do our utmost to meet your expectations and lay waste to your enemies."

Inwardly, Lucifer sighed at the solemn Oath. He never wanted people to grovel in front of him but somehow, it always happened. At least Tauron did it with some dignity, but it was still far too much. With a resigned air that elicited some silent amusement from Gomez who had stood off the side and observed the proceedings, he grabbed the man somewhat harshly and pulled him to his feet.

"How often do I have to tell you that I do not particularly enjoy my friends grovelling in front of me, Tauron. Your Oath, while a bit overdramatic, is accepted and appreciated. Now stop it with the ceremony and revert to the simple-minded and uncouth noble you were meant to be, you old fool."

His words pulled a surprisingly gentle smile from the man and he wordlessly nodded. They turned to the unnecessarily ornate gates that noble estates tended to sport and waited in companionable silence for the girls to arrive. It didn't take long for them to step through, and with a single glance he could see that his daughter had once again proved to be fatally magnetic. The monochrome girl who reminded him heavily of a far younger Morticia, sans the third eye, was staring at her unblinkingly as if she was the greatest puzzle she ever faced, all the while Enid was chewing off Dinah's ear who, despite showing little in the form of expressions, still managed to radiate fond indulgence.

As soon as they became visible, both, Gomez and Tauron perked up. The latter threw his newest piece of equipment towards a poor sap of a servant who barely managed to catch it with trepidation clearly visible on his face. No wonder since it very nearly eviscerated him. The old fool then sprinted towards the three girls and the severed hand. Lucifer had met Thing and he liked the surprisingly knowledgeable fellow. He had a wicked sense of humour and managed to enjoy life despite his trying Fate.

Tauron's approach caused alarm amongst them and Enid immediately stepped in front and pushed off to intercept him. A proud smile refused to be suppressed when he saw her clear protectiveness. The Marquis laughed loudly when she clashed with him.

"Oh, you are a spirited one, aren't you? Come, why don't you show me what you can do!"

As always when he met someone interesting, Tauron's switch flipped. He pulled Enid into a sparring match without any sense of propriety. His confused daughter did her best, but Tauron's overwhelmingly superior physique and technique, not to mention millennia of experience, had her on her back foot immediately. He kept it at light contact and held himself back heavily. Which was good for him, because if he hurt his daughter, his life would have been forfeit. As it was he didn't see the need to intervene since his Morningstar seemed to enjoy herself after getting over her confusion.

Ten minutes or so later, Enid was lying on the ground and breathing heavily. She was sweaty, dirty, and exhausted, but there was a content smile on her face. Tauron rubbed his forearm with a chuckle as he returned to Lucifer's side while the girls kept their distance and crowded around Enid. He was surprised that Wednesday, whom Gomez had described as distant and cold, opted to awkwardly stand some steps away from his little Morningstar, who was imitating a starfish at the moment, after greeting her grandfather and her father with rather formal words for such a young girl. In hindsight, he shouldn't have been. Enid's magnetism rarely took longer than a few minutes to pull people into her orbit. It was peculiar and heartwarming. And it made him resent that superfluous shrew who styled herself as Enid's mother even more. He should have done more than put the fear of the Devil into that unworthy mutt. Chloe would be a far better...-

'And we put a lid on that thought.' He stopped himself before he could dive down that particular rabbit hole while inwardly smiling wrily. He intentionally let himself be distracted by his friend and subordinate.

"Your daughter sure packs a punch. I didn't know Mazikeen took a protégé though. She has the basics of her style down, but she's more than a little bit more enthusiastic and flamboyant with it. I'm curious what her own style will end up as. She's already started to develop her own spin on it. That side flip scissor kick combo she pulled off? That took me by surprise. If she'd been a bit more quick, she may have gotten a good hit in."

Lucifer preened. He couldn't help it. That was his daughter and a well known martial expert just praised her abilities honestly. Gomez snickered in the background but didn't speak up. He knew he wouldn't have been much different, had it been his little twin tailed stormcloud who was on the receiving end of praise. Or scorn. He wasn't picky and neither was the Addams Clan as a whole. Most members genuinely found being scorned, feared, and hated to be life goals to strive for. Their outlook on the world was a strange but refreshing one, and it helped him adapt to the 'role' his 'dearest' Father had apparently chosen for him. It took a lot to truly offend an Addams. Of course, if you managed to do it, you'd be in mortal peril henceforth. Or worse if that old shrew Grandmama got her gnarly hands on you.

He banished those thoughts, lest he accidentally summoned her. He stepped forward to greet his daughters, receiving a slow and content encirclement from Dinah while Enid struggled to her feet and stumbled into his arms. She was severely exhausted. Much more so than he thought she was. That didn't stop her from enthusiastically deepening the embrace and burrowing into his chest.

"Missed you."

She murmured and he chuckled fondly.

"We were separated for less than three hours my dear Morningstar. You barely had time to miss me and you apparently filled even what little you had with random encounters in the woods."

She made a slight noise of discontent and stubbornly uttered while wiping her dirt-caked face into his Armani much to his resigned amusement. Another one bites the dust, as they liked to say.

"Still did."

Besides her he could feel more than hear Dinah's silent laughter. She was an incredibly guarded girl and for her to show even that much emotion in front of present company spoke of her trust in his judgment. She didn't know most of them, though she seemed acquainted with Thing, and she was usually far less expressive than even now.

"Come on you two. Let me introduce you to two old friends of mine. Hell isn't a friendly place most of the time, but those two are as close to friendly faces you'll meet down here. Not sane by any definition of the word, though, so take what nonsense they are spouting with a grain of salt and a dose of sulfur."

He stood up, carrying both of them effortlessly and they clearly enjoyed it if the way they snuggled closer was anything to go by. All the while, he found himself under close scrutiny from a girl of Enid's age. Officially in mortal terms, Wednesday was barely more than a year old. She spent most of her time in the Infernal Realms, and was completely out of sync with the mortal one. From what Gomez had told him, she didn't have any desire to change that fact. It would be a bit challenging to keep up a functioning friendship for Enid and her, should they bond further in the time they'd spend here. Something to ponder on over the next week.

Gomez said he planned to stay at the Frump estate for a week with Morticia joining tomorrow since she had some business to attend to, much to Gomez's everlasting despair. Tauron invited him to stay for the same amount of time and he was considering accepting the offer. It was clear that little Wednesday was already on the way of being hopelessly influenced by hurricane Enid. She had a way of storming into your life, leaving your sanity in shambles, and making you appreciate the experience nonetheless. He was rather glad it happened to him and he had no doubt Wednesday would think similarly once she accepted the inevitable descent.

As he carried his pride and joy to introduce them as the most important aspect of his long life, he allowed himself an inward snicker at the thought of the influence his oblivious daughter had on her surroundings. He was certain his little Glimmer got some amusement from it too. She quickly developed a habit of quietly observing Enid and all her interactions with the world. She was hard to read but there was always a good amount of fondness and some subdued contentment in her eyes when she did. Absentmindedly, he nuzzled the top of their heads, drawing some sounds of tired contentment from Enid a slight sigh of relaxation from Dinah. He'd do anything for them. There was no doubt in his mind about that. After all, they were the source of the tentative contentment he felt developing deep in his Soul.

~Dinah~

Curiously, she took in the room. It was on the ridiculously lavish end of the scale. Lots of needless luxury. Did the bedroom really need a crystal chandelier for example? The colour scheme was rather soft and pleasing to the eyes at least with cream, gentle reds, and some matte gold dominating. As wished by Enid after she consulted with it with her to make sure Dinah was ok with it, there was an enormous bed situated centrally next to the far end wall. They'd both sleep in it. They'd shared sleeping arrangements a fair few times already and this wasn't any different. Except for the fact that there was enough space for another five people or so. Ridiculous and needless luxury indeed. Such was the way of the rich and aristocratic.

Before she could do as much as attempt to stop her, Enid had already slipped past her and sprinted up to the bed, jumping into it with a bright grin on her features. That by now familiar sense of helpless fondness bubbled up in her again as she sighed silently. Not silently enough it seemed because a faintly apologetic 'sorry, couldn't resist.' echoed over. She looked at the other girl in the room who did her best to look contrite. It would have been far more convincing if she didn't 'sneakily' test how well she could bounce on the bed. She could have held in the breathy laugh that escaped her lips, but there was no reason to and it was bound to lighten Enid's mood. As she anticipated, a grin immediately appeared on Enid's lips along with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. Dinah only had a short moment to brace herself before she was pulled onto the bed by her sis.

With anticipation rolling off of her, she watched her and Dinah rolled her eyes with a small grin before shrugging. Enid took her hands while giggling and began bouncing on the mattress. Letting herself be pulled along by her sister's enthusiasm, she grinned and joined her. She had no idea how long they mistreated the bed like this but in the end they fell into the sheets, exhausted and giggly. They lied beside each other for some moments to calm down before she scrutinised her sister. There was something she'd like to know.

"I noticed something earlier."

She began, pulling the attention and curiosity of the Lucifer's first child. Dinah may have been the older one by years, but Enid was the first one to be accepted into his Family. She was also surprisingly perceptive and wise for her age. Not to mention ridiculously knowledgeable in the oddest of topics from all that stuff she kept reading. Thoughtfully, she asked.

"You had all the chances to hug that goth brat. She couldn't have fought you off at all. And usually, you hug everyone you meet and find interesting. You clearly do by the way. Find her interesting that is. So why didn't you hug her?"

Enid released a sound that landed somewhere in between thoughtful and uncertain. She frowned for a moment, probably trying to gather her thoughts for a satisfactory answer before turning to her side to face her fully.

"She has that air that tells you she doesn't appreciate physical contact. Something about the way she holds herself. I don't want to make people uncomfortable with my need to show my affection. Most don't react badly when a cute girl hugs them, but for some, physicality is about trust. Or they generally dislike touch. Or they suffered trauma that makes it hard to let others into their personal space. Mood plays a huge role too. I love to touch the people I know and want to get to know. It's my love language and the easiest way to show my affection. But I also understand that not everyone shares this. I can keep those urges under control, I promise."

She attempted a brave face, but now that she was thinking about it, it seemed to be all the harder to control. The slight twitching and fiddling with her hands gave her away. Dinah made an uncommitted humming sound in response to her answer before taking mercy on her and pushing her arm beneath Enid. She took the invite immediately and cuddled up before pushing away a bit and elaborating on the topic with a slight but understanding smile in a way Dinah hadn't expected.

"You have that too sometimes, you know? That air that you want to be left alone. That you'd react badly if I tried to hug you. Especially when you're sitting in the corner of a room, looking at nothing in particular with that empty face of yours. I want to hug you sooo badly in those moments. Just to show you that you are safe and that you can always rely on me. But I don't want to make you uncomfortable, so I don't do it. I just sit there with you until you are ready to join the world again..."

She trailed off and gravitated towards her again. That was a revelation honestly. She knew she wasn't mentally healthy yet. Not by a long shot. She had moments where everything was just too much and she drew into herself. Where all she needed was some space from the rest of the world. She had no idea that it influenced Enid too. She did notice that when she resurfaced, more often than not, Enid was waiting for her with a bright smile on her lips. It was an entirely honest one too. Guilt welled up in her when she realised what this meant. Enid was a 'bit' hyperactive. She needed to do something all the time. If she had to sit still for long without something to occupy herself with, she suffered quite badly. But she willingly did just that to accompany her in her episodes. This wouldn't do. Determined to make things right, she said.

"You're the exception."

A questioning sound left Enid's lips and she looked up from where she was cuddled into the side of her. It looked adorable and Dinah squeezed her a bit tighter to herself before elaborating.

"I give you the permission to hug me while I'm out of it... Just... Maybe... Not so tight? Usually, it's fine. I like your enthusiasm and the way you wind yourself around me like an octopus, but when I'm in that headspace... It's not a pretty one to be honest. And I... I might lash out if I resurfaced and... And it seemed like I was restrained."

Enid was silent for some long moments before her hug softened. If before, she was akin to a heavy heated blanket, providing a secure hold, now she was like soft cotton, encapsulating her in carefully given affection.

"Like this?..."

She asked silently, almost a whisper, and Dinah had to fight back tears. This sister of hers was truly too considerate. With a voice, heavy from the emotions she tried to get a hold of, she whispered back.

"Yeah, that's alright..."

She didn't even realise that she was drifting off until she fell into a restful slumber.

~~~

The next day once again started with an enthusiastic rousing from Enid. The first hour or two of her forced wakefulness were a blur of blonde, purple, and breakfast. She loved her sis, but sometimes she was just a bit much, so she let out a small sigh of relief when she wandered off to the kernels to befriend uncle Tauron's hunting dogs. They were a peculiar breed of Hellhounds that specialised in tracking. Which was almost a bit overkill, since normal Hellhounds already had vastly superior olfactory senses if compared to mundane bloodhounds. But apparently, some infernal creatures were far better at hiding than mundane ones. Who knew?

Anyways, she immediately felt a stab of guilt after the relief passed. Which was entirely irrational since Enid was almost guaranteed to wave it off and tell her she knew she was a bit overenthusiastic at times. 'Wait... Is her leaving me alone just as I become overwhelmed another sign of consideration?' Her Light told her that yes, with near certainty it was. She sighed. Great. Now she felt even guiltier. Enid still surprised her with her maturity at times even though she knew that she had more depth than she let on at first glance.

After resolving herself to do something nice for her sister once they returned to the mortal realm, she wandered a bit aimlessly. And as she wandered through the enormous mansion, her mind wandered too. Until she found a certain goth. And she was kneeling on the ground, petting a spider far too big. 'Should I apologise? I kinda have to... I was in the wrong and it's what Enid would do...' She mused with some frustration colouring the thought. 'Well, no time like the present...' She gathered her determination and approached the girl.

"Wednesday."

She spoke silently, knowing that doing so loudly was unnecessary and wouldn't be interpreted positively. The girl, who was wearing a similar but not identical outfit as yesterday, tensed slightly before consciously relaxing. Gracefully, she rose to her full height. Which wasn't all that impressive since she still was around a head smaller than Dinah.

"Dinah."

She answered, her voice and face carefully kept inflection-less and blank. The girl had definitely picked up on her initial dislike. She was rather perceptive and quite hard to read. Her face gave almost nothing away, but there was a hint of apprehension in her eyes. She learned to read those far better than most since while the face of her tormentor was concealed, his eyes weren't. And she needed to gauge his mood to know how far to push him.

"Look, I will start with an apology before explaining why I kinda looked down on you yesterday. The first kinda ties into the second one so please let me finish my explanation before you decide how you react please."

She nodded slowly once after a moment of consideration.

"I am sorry for how I reacted to the information I was fed by my Light. You see, I am an oracle and I'm still learning to control my ability. So when I asked myself 'What the Hell is her deal?' I received an answer. I saw what happened to make you so closed off. I saw the source of your trauma."

Her eyes widened a fraction, her lips thinned, and the muscle in her left jaw twitched. For someone as tightly controlled as her, that was quite the severe reaction. She couldn't completely gauge which emotions she was feeling. She doubted they were on the positive end of the spectrum however. But she kept the peace. She didn't attack and neither did she storm off. Instead, she stood in front of her tensely, watching Dinah intently. The unblinking stare could have been seriously unnerving if she wasn't capable of it herself. Composed as she was most of the time, she continued.

"Doubtlessly, someone of your intellect has drawn parallels between us two, and that ties into why I felt like I did. It's only fair that I tell you the origin of my own trauma since I pried into yours, unintentionally as it happened. Let me tell you a story of a little girl who had the most woeful of times..."

What followed was the harrowing experience of remembering. She forced herself to recount the death of her parents. The way she was neglected by her uncle when he took her in, leaving her to wallow in her grief. The abduction and the uncertainty of what would happen, only for her worst nightmares to seem pale in front of what she had to endure. With freely expressed vicious joy, she told her of finding the barest hint of a chance to take down her captor. How she cultivated it into a valid chance of survival. How she decided that living was entirely optional as long as she could take him down with her. At that point, they were sitting while leaning against the wall, and Wednesday was paying rapt attention while absentmindedly petting the massive tarantula in her lap.

She continued, laying out how she balanced on a knife's edge the self-destructive way with which she forced her will upon Fate and the use she got out of it, delicately maneuvering the man into an inescapable mire that would eventually swallow him whole. She narrated the soul deep satisfaction when she initiated the final act, and the remembrance of his desperate pleas for her to help. How she gleefully refused him as her entire world tinged red. Fondly, she remembered how she watched him fall into a rage after she spat the blood she'd been collecting in her mouth at his face, barely conscious as she was while enduring the pain of her Soul disintegrating. A satisfied sigh left her lips after she told her that the provocation had been enough to push him to the point of physical abuse in addition to the starving, the drugs, and the mental torment he already heaped upon her.

Only it never came to it and the presumably last moments of her life were spent watching in wonder as a knife penetrated the base of his skull with a visceral shink sound before laying her failing eyes upon her saviour and prophesising the chances of her own death.

"In a way, those moments really were my last. I'm not even sure what I am now."

She mused thoughtfully. Because they kind of were. When she woke up against all expectations, it was next to two sweet girls who quickly became sisters to her. The girl she was, the weak little thing who was completely reliant on others, died in that bunker. Officially, even. She was still discovering just who she was after she was ripped to shreds and reassembled. She expressed the sentiment, and for the first time since she began talking, Wednesday answered.

"Whoever or whatever you are, I know one thing. You are strong."

There was a hint of reverence in her voice and it made Dinah quite uncomfortable. This wasn't what she wanted to achieve. She simply wanted to offer her own experience since she was inadvertently exposed to Wednesday's. She pretended she didn't hear the undertone and instead came back to what sparked this entire conversation.

"What I wanted to say is that I looked down on you because of how you dealt with your grief."

There was a small puzzled frown on Wednesday's brows. Dinah looked at her seriously and began to explain, answering the unasked question.

"There is a difference in being guarded and repressing your emotions. The correct technique is control, and not suppression. Feeling isn't the weakness. No, being capable of a whole range of emotions of both, the positive and the negative nature, is a strength and a privilege. The weakness is letting yourself be involuntarily influenced by them. You should be the master of your mind. You are the one who decides your mental state. Show only what you want to show and keep your mind clear, but do not try and deny your ability to feel. Instead, choose when to feel."

She paused for a moment to gather her thoughts when the frown didn't disappear but deepen instead. How could she get this through to her? Definitely not with silence, that was for sure. She'd have to improvise.

"Allow yourself to be emboldened by courage. Let the adrenaline surge through you when you are excited. Do seemingly impossible things in the name of love. The more intense an emotion is, the harder it is to keep it under control, but the benefits are equally as impressive. If you suppress them however, it'll come back to haunt you. Because just pretending they aren't there will not make them go away. Instead, the stress will accumulate and your integrity will be compromised. And if you're stubborn enough, which I get the feeling you are, then you'd manage to suppress your emotions for years upon years."

She took a deep breath and sighed inwardly when she noticed Wednesday perk up a bit. She was proud of being stubborn it seemed. It wasn't meant as a compliment but it was a trait that she equally admired and abhorred. Also, she could be pretty stubborn too, and vicious if she was being honest, so she didn't correct her. Instead, she continued, trying to get her point across.

"You will compartmentalise them away and you will forget what it feels like to deal with them directly. All of this because you don't want to deal with the hurt. The emotional pain. And once those walls you built crumble away, because believe me when I say they will, you won't know what to do. You'll be helpless in the face of a tidal wave of emotions you barely even recognise. Because what you are doing isn't making you stronger. It's running away from a problem in a way that will leave you hollow and brittle. That's the reason why I disliked you, and it's the reason why I need to apologise."

She looked at her honestly and let part of her mask fall away before she even had the chance to lash out as she was undoubtedly contemplating to do if the glint in her eyes was to be believed. She deserved at least that much.

"I had to deal with things no child should have to deal with. But after the act, when I should have crumbled, I was helped. Lucifer himself reassembled my soul and adopted me into his Family. Enid is a massive pillar. She is a steady influence with the patience of a saint, which is ironic because she couldn't sit still to safe her life. Only to safe others. She is someone who keeps giving without expecting anything back. Trixie is a stubborn little light that forces itself into my darkness and refuses to let me deal with it alone. I had help from both, my new parent, and my sisters in all but blood. But the most important thing was that I wasn't reliant on it. I pushed through the worst experience in my life myself, and I chose to accept the support they offered afterwards. Choice is the most important thing in this, I think."

Wednesday slowly nodded. That was a sentiment that resonated with her. Even as young as she was, she understood. She was odd, l a free spirit who liked doing things at her own pace, and she despised being confined by regular conventions. She appreciated the ability to choose her own path.

"I failed to take into consideration your even younger age when your pet was viciously murdered by morons who were dabbling with things beyond their understanding. The way it must have ripped your heart asunder from having your beloved companion taken from you is something I hopefully won't ever have to experience. Of course, you'd instinctively lash out at the thing you think caused your pain. Your emotions. But you are mistaken."

Without a change in expression or posture, Wednesday somehow managed to radiate curiosity. The need to know just what she missed. And Dinah was all too glad to elaborate. Though, her throat was beginning to dry up. She wasn't used to talking so much anymore and even in the club, they'd have glasses of water ready to moisturise. Having your voice break during a debate was pretty embarrassing and unnecessary after all. Nevertheless, she continued on.

"It wasn't the emotions that hurt you. They were a consequence of the actions committed by others. They are a part of you and refusing to acknowledge them means burying a part of yourself. It means that they win. It's acknowledging that they hurt you bad enough to want to change yourself. No, the cause for your pain were those idiots. And giving them that satisfaction, even though they'll never learn of it, was the wrong move."

The muscles around her throat tensed as she understood what she was telling her. After wrangling back control over herself, she nodded slowly, looking thoughtful now. That was good. She needed to think for herself. If she came to the correct conclusions in her own mind, they'd have a more solid base. When she finally answered, it was with a vague sense of wistfulness. There was a forlorn quality in her voice despite its lack of inflection. Of course the undercurrent of bottomless rage was there too, but that seemed to be reasonable, all things considered.

"I wish I could take vengeance into my own hands like you did... I felt powerless and weak in front of mere mortals. They confined me as easily as they'd do with any other child, and they made me watch. Nero didn't do anything wrong. He was just happily scuttling along, glad to have some more space than usual. I couldn't tear my eyes away as the sound of his carapace..."

She stopped, breathing a bit heavier than she did before. It was barely noticeable because of her immense self control, but Dinah knew the signs of the onset of a panic attack. She also knew she wasn't suitable to deal with it despite her experiences. Her thoughts raced and stopped just as quickly. There was one thing that might help. She couldn't sing it, the language was beyond her, but she could invoke the melody at least. A humm left her throat and immediately, she could feel the surroundings stir in a way differently than when Uncle Amy sung. With him, it was a sense of duty, of belonging that seemed to spread. It was a look into a past, better than the present, but also a hopeful glance thrown at the future. At the possibilities that seemed endless.

For Dinah, it was endurance. It spoke of persisting against odds so far beyond her, it almost seemed for naught. It spoke of defiance against all forces stacked against her, of viciously tearing through the constraints that bound her to perceived hopelessness. The melody invoked her unyielding nature and her willingness to suffer if it made things right. And it seemed to strike a chord in Wednesday. She stilled, and stopped breathing for some seconds before easing into a healthier rhythm. Neither of them acknowledged what happened, and she seemed thankful for it. Dinah glanced at her with a tiny smile in the corner of her lips.

"Your parents are awesome by the way. From what little I saw, they truly love you beyond measure. But they don't truly understand, do they?"

Wednesday shook her head slightly, admitting what she already suspected. 'It's not my place to tell her, but I doubt they'll do it themselves...' She mused before deciding that it couldn't hurt. Much.

"Vengeance will be a bit more difficult to achieve for you if you're still planning on it."

She started idly, and immediately caught the entirety of the goth's attention.

"I told you your parents are awesome. Your dad's face when he exacted revenge in your state was scarily dangerous. He didn't go for the kids themselves. No, he went after the root and eradicated it. By now, more than half their parents are in jail, financially ruined and all corpses in their basements exposed. It happened to the others too, but they got off slightly better since their crimes weren't quite severe enough to mandate jail time. There were other... Consequences too but it's better to ask him yourself about those I think. The kids are in the foster care system and won't be adopted. And if they don't change their ways, they won't survive long after reaching adulthood."

A truly vicious smile flashed over her lips for an instant.

"Chances are around 50/50 right now. Slightly leaning towards total eradication."

Wednesday looked stunned for a moment before looking down, pulling her legs towards her chest and resting her chin on top of her knees. The tarantula had climbed to the top of her head and it seemed comfortable there.

"I had no idea... Why didn't father tell me?"

Her voice was almost despondent, which wasn't what Dinah had been aiming for. She was a bit out of her depth. 'This is way harder than Enid makes it out to be...' But if there was one thing she learned from her bright sister, it was improvisation and quick thinking. She forged on, hoping to at least having guessed some of the reasons the Addams Patriarch had for his actions.

"He probably didn't want to place the burden on you. He doesn't understand that you'd have needed the closure. He doesn't grasp the kind of wound this tragedy has struck on you. Adults rarely do. It is something I've come to understand after talking with Aunty Linda about it."

She answered the curious side glance.

"She's a psychiatrist."

The instant revulsion on Wednesday's face made her choke down a laugh.

"I know, I know. I thought so too, and most of those hacks really are useless. But she's one of the rare good ones. I like her."

Wednesday sent a last dubious look before she went back to brooding.

"Anyways. Adults tend to think about things from their own perspective and they fail to take into account the one of their child. Even the best parents are guilty of doing that sometimes. Your dad wanted to protect you. But he made things worse by not talking about it with you. He didn't mean to be condescending or anything like it. No, he just wanted to spare you the burden and take it upon himself instead. Don't be angry with him but talk to him about it. Make it clear that if he hides such things from you, it'll do more harm than good. Now, this has been far more tiring than I expected. I'm going to sleep."

She nodded to herself and left the thoughtful little girl behind, ignoring the stare that followed her far longer than it should have been able to. This sapped all her energy away. She'd need at least three days uninterrupted sleep to recharge. Thinking of Enid and how they shared a room, she released a fond but resigned sigh even as a little smile pulled on her lips. Chances to be left alone to sleep for three days, 0.07%. Higher than she'd expected at least.

~Enid~

As she left the room again with a slight pout after being glared at by bleary eyes, she petulantly crossed her arms. Then she remembered the bone deep exhaustion clearly visible on her sister's face and sighed with slight guilt gnawing on her. Yes, she wanted to spend time with her, but not at the cost of her well-being. She just had to find something else to do while she recovered from her inexplicable bout of weakness. She could always visit the hounds again. They weren't the same as Maze's rag-tag pack of cuties. Instead, they were of a uniform breed, but they were darlings nonetheless, each and every one of them. She had no idea why uncle Tauron was so shocked when he found her cuddled up to the biggest one of them. Bergamot was in no way the vicious beast he made him out to be. No, he was her cuddly new friend and she wouldn't let her horned uncle badmouth him, no matter how much fun she had playing with him.

She contemplated her plans for a moment before deciding that just visiting them without an offering for their hospitality would have been impolite. She did take some of the supplies she'd readied the evening before for the day she'd planned. Shifting the backpack slightly, she frowned. That wasn't enough. Changing directions to the kitchen, she planned to rectify that. Excitement to meet her new friends was no excuse for rudeness after all. As her thoughts wandered while she followed her nose to the biggest source of edible things, she found them focussing on nothing in particular. Sometimes, she found it necessary to just cut her mind loose. To let it float freely and take all those heavy contemplations she found herself prone to recently with it. Her life was fun. More fun than it had been since she could remember. Ever since that fateful day some months ago, when her dad broke through her door with a pleasant smile on his lips and a British accent on his tongue, colours were more vibrant and her mood was on a permanent rise.

Of course there was that tiny niggling thought in the back of her mind that she didn't deserve any of it. It was true after all. But she wouldn't let that stop her. She made friends and some of them became family. She had people to look up to and she had those she needed to shelter. If she wasn't worthy of the attention, care, and love she was receiving, then she simply had to become worthy. Her dad was a great example to live by. He received a prayer from her and just up and went to get her. To free her from her, as she now knew, abusive family. He didn't need to. He had no obligation to save her. And yet he did. He took her in and even adopted her, fulfilling the biggest wish she ever had. A loving family. She'd do everything to repay him for that. When she told him that, he simply smiled at her and told her that her gracing him with her presence and love was far more of a payment than he deserved. He then embraced her and she ruined another one of his suits. She had to stop doing that.

Anyways, he took her in and made her family. He sheltered her from a world that was just as often callous and cold as it was warm and vibrant. That was the example she wanted to live by. And she did just that. She now had sisters and aunties and uncles. They were adopted and she'd shelter them from the world with all her might. She just needed to find a good method to do that. With her sisters, it was easiest since she had help from her dad and Chloe, whom she didn't yet know how to categorise. She was family, but aunty felt wrong. Thoughts for later, she decided. The others were harder. They were adults and usually capable of sheltering themselves, and all she could do was try to make them smile. Adults were far too serious most of the time so that was a good starting point she thought. She didn't even need to do anything different. Just being herself seemed to do the trick.

She knew she was unusual and she had no problem with being called strange, funny, or weird. The opposite was the case, really. She revelled in it. Being normal was boring and being herself often made people smile. She loved being the cause of that. To be able to bring some joy to them. At other times, she tried to make them think, which could only be a good thing. Far too many adults didn't do that anymore. Or at least they didn't think right. They were stuck in their rigid little spaces of mind and refused to try and break out of it no matter how much more colourful the outside was. She tried to challenge those views and pull them out of their self-imposed limits. That was one of the ways she decided to use to pay them back for accepting her in their lives. She'd help them break past that unnecessary divide between them and the rest of the world. She'd endeavour to show them that everything and everyone could be beautiful. With a bright smile on her lips, she nodded decisively as she entered the domain of the cooks.

"I am Enid! I am here to bargain for some treats! I need them for the doggies! Pretty please, but without a cherry on top. I don't think they'd appreciate it."

She called into the busy room. It took some seconds before one of the cooks split off and came up to her.

"Treats for the doggies, you say? You mean Lord Frump's Hunting Hounds? Those moody bastards are more likely to simply snatch you up for a snack than to let you feed them. You'd better...-"

Indignation surged through her and she interrupted the cook with some real heat in her voice as she put her hands onto her hips.

"Don't you dare badmouth my friends! Bergamot is a sweety and while he can be a bit grumpy, you would be too if you'd only ever see the same things! He and his pack need far more movement and variety to be less grumpy, but uncle Tauron is stubborn about it. Says a bit of a run once a week has to be enough... I wanna visit them and bring them some snacks to cheer them up. Can you help me please?"

The cook seemed nonplussed for a moment before chuckling.

"You're a spirited one, aren't you. Good for you I guess. Still, are you sure you can handle it? The amount of meat to even be called a snack for creatures as... hungry as them is enormous."

She nodded with a bright smile. She was growing stronger every day which was a bit of a challenge to get used to. She didn't know how much exactly she could carry right now, but she was pretty certain that the snacks wouldn't be much of a problem. He shrugged and went off to the giant walk-in freezer on the other end of the kitchen. She had some fun while waiting by observing the other cooks. They clearly knew what they were doing. They worked together seamlessly and she really admired how they helped each other without any obvious communication. It was almost like watching a pack that had hunted together for years or even decades.

She snapped out of it when the cook she had talked to returned with a really big bucket. It smelled of various different meats and she was already certain the doggies would appreciate the variety of it. He seemed to strain a bit under the weight, but he managed to get it to her and placed it on the ground with grunt of effort.

"Are you sure you can carry that much, little girl? If you can't, I'm sure I can get one of the newbies...-"

This time he simply stopped talking and his eyes widened comically when he saw her lift the bucket over her head. She was preoccupied with trying to find the best spot for balancing it, but when she did, she smiled at him from under her new head-dress.

"Thank you, it's no problem carrying it like this! Even though you were rude to one of my friends, I think you are alright. What's your name?"

He was silent for a long moment before answering with a voice devoid of energy.

"... Claudius. My name is Claudius."

She thought for a moment but saw no reason to shorten his name, so she simply called out.

"Thank you for the snacks, Claudius! I'll tell them to be nicer to you, so maybe visit them sometimes? They do get bored in the kernels and I'm sure they'd appreciate some distractions."

Absentmindedly, he nodded and she turned around to leave the kitchen, but not before throwing a quick wave backwards, being careful to not let the bucket tilt too much. She also ignored his murmured comments about just what they feed the kids nowadays. She was a growing girl and she needed plenty of food. There was no need to be rude about it. She hurried through the manor while being careful to not lose any of the bucket's content and quickly made it to the kernels. They were situated in the spacious 'backyard'. Said backyard was a massive clearing on the edge of the forest she had explored with her sis. Right on the edge of it, Bergamot and his pack had their territory. From afar, she called out.

"Bergamot! I've come to visit! And I brought snacks!"

Instantly, she felt him shift his attention to her. In what seemed to be an almost lazy pace, he trotted to the edge of the kernels to wait for her. He was massive in size and his streamlined body was very clearly made for speed and explosiveness. Even lying down, he was a bit taller than her. From afar, she could make out the idle way his tail swished back and forth. He was in an agreeable mood then. Speeding up, she readied herself for the jump. With a single leap, she cleared the hurdle that was the fence that was supposed to keep people outside. She didn't know how tall it was exactly.

It wouldn't do much to keep the hounds in, but they didn't wander outside of their territory so it was unnecessary to lock them in. They were very disciplined, and they listened to uncle Tauron. Well, Bergamot did, and the others listened to their Alpha. With a bit of a stumble, she landed and managed to keep the contents of the bucket inside. Carefully, she placed it down before approaching Bergamot for a hug. His fur was a bit on the coarse side, but that was simply because no one dared to brush it. Which was why she brought a heavy duty brush with her. She pulled away from his neck after nuzzling into it for some moments and showed him her brightest close lipped smile.

"I went to the kitchen and got you all something to gobble. I hope you like assorted meats? I think I smelled five kinds?"

He nodded his massive head with half lidded eyes. They sharpened a bit as he glanced over the fence in the direction of one particular tree. That was peculiar. 'He must have smelled something or someone.' She mused and concentrated on her senses. There it was. A faint smell of black Dahlias and graveyard soil. She knew this scent. It was the pigtailed girl who'd played with her. Why was she all the way over there?

"Ima gonna go and get her. You won't eat her if I bring her here, right?"

Bergamot sent her a glance that was equal parts amused and considering. She rolled her eyes.

"Oh, hardiharhar. You are hilarious you big lug. I'll be back in a minute or so. Don't eat all the bucket alone!"

Without the additional weight to balance, leaping over the fence was easy peasy. She did so at an angle and took a slight detour through the borders of the woods to approach her unseen. Carefully, she managed to make it up a tree close to the one the girl was hiding behind. It has beautiful red leaves but she didn't let them distract her. Placing her index finger over her lips which made the tree's eye roll, she focussed on the girl who was now looking over to the kernels with a slight frown on her brows. She must have missed her leaving and was probably trying to find her. With a mischievous little smile, she pushed herself off the tree and landed with a soft thud behind her. Immediately, she whirled around with wide eyes and a knife in hand, but Enid simply leaned back a bit and let it glide past her.

"If you wanted to play you could have just asked, you know? No need to stalk me. I wanted to meet you again too. You seem interesting."

She told her with a smile on her lips. The girl huffed out a breath and somehow managed to make it sound indignant. She didn't say anything though, just glaring at her slightly with those eyes that reminded her so much of her dad's. Hers were a bit lighter in colour than his, but they both called gorgeous shades of chocolate brown their own. Slowly, the glare eased out of them and what was left was contemplation. Enid felt like she was regarded as if she was a puzzle. The entire weight of the twin tailed girl's attention was on her and she felt a bit awkward with how long she was staring. Finally, after what seemed to be an eternity, she reluctantly sheathed the knife.

"I would be... amenable to performing recreational activities with you."

Oh, that was cute. The way she almost seemed to almost experience physical pain at the admission and the very slight way her eyes drifted to not look directly into Enid's. She so wanted to cuddle her like the small monocrome teddy bear she apparently was, but it was too early. What she told Dinah was true. The girl, Wednesday Addams, had an aversion to touch. It was in every movement of hers. She always positioned herself in ways to not accidentally touch, and sometimes, she flinched away from sudden movements before she could control the motion completely. It was sad because she didn't think she was actually against the contact. The aversion was most likely caused by a traumatic experience. Enid understood and she would respect those boundaries. She just had to wear her down until she could finally pull her into her embrace and never let go. She could almost imagine it. 'Sounding a bit creepy in your head there.' She admonished herself but she couldn't help it. Cuddling was so much fun and it always left her warm and comfortable so she wanted that sensation for everyone. Finally, she reacted to Wednesday's admission with a bright smile while slapping her hands together.

"Great! We can feed the doggies together and then we'll brush them. Afterwards we can play tag again if you want, or maybe you'll want to dance a bit? Your knives are really pretty and you polished them so well. I kinda wanna see them again."

Some of the tension in her frame melted away and she nodded slightly. There was still a fair amount of reluctance, but she seemed to accept the plan fairly readily. 'A win is a win.' She told herself and nodded firmly, drawing another of the girl's unreadable glances in the process. When they closed in to the kernels again, some threatening growls echoed over. That wouldn't do. Unnoticed by herself but certainly not by Wednesday, her eyes flashed amber for a moment as she growled back, causing the younger members of the pack to back down under the amused side glance of Bergamot, who hadn't moved from the space he occupied before. She knew he had allowed the aggression to draw out her own and she stomped over to the fence, leapt over it in a single bound as always, and frowned at him wordlessly with crossed arms.

His answer was a huff that sounded decidedly as if he was fondly laughing at her before he pushed her over with his wet nose. She couldn't help the giggle that escaped her mouth and looked up just in time to see Wednesday skillfully scaling the fence before jumping down from the top and easing out of the fall with a roll that took away most of the momentum. She already knew the girl to be skilled with her knives but it seemed she had some skill in acrobatics as well, at least enough to fall correctly. It was one of the first things Maze taught her. The woman threw her across the room more often than she could count. 'Just because you can tank it doesn't mean you have to. If an impact is heavier than you expected, you can end up severely injured if you don't know how to mitigate it.'

She saw the logic in that statement and she had fun being thrown so it was an all around win in her books. As for Wednesday? She idly corrected her dress and looked down on her with a left eyebrow that was just a tad farther up than the other. Her clues and expressions were ridiculously understated, making it a real challenge to read her. Enid was determined to learn the language though. It was the least she could do to accommodate her newest friend. Her thoughts were rudely interrupted by Bergamot, who seemed to think she needed to be cleaned and decided to use his enormous tongue to do so.

"Eww! Stop it you mutt! Cherona is bad enough, I don't need your slobber too!"

He pushed her struggling form back down and gave her one last once-over before finally letting her get up and jump back. With Wednesday in her field of vision, she somehow felt that on the inside, the girl was laughing at her. Without any change in her expressions, she somehow radiated amusement. Dinah could do that too. Pitifully, she pouted at her with upturned eyes, causing her to blink and look away.

Enid shrugged at the reaction and went over to the water facilities. She needed to clean herself and it was warm enough to just dump loads of water over herself and let it dry over a couple of minutes. They were in Hell after all. When she'd returned, Bergamot was looking at Wednesday with half-lidded eyes while the monochrome girl stared back without blinking. He was lying on his stomach again and his head was leisurely resting on his front legs. Did she know that technically she was challenging him for his Alpha position? The only reason Bergamot wasn't answering the challenge was that she didn't pose a threat and he wasn't ruled by his instincts. Better warn her, she decided.

"You know, if you continue staring like that, he might really take offense."

Bergamot sniffed and Enid suppressed a giggle. Not good enough to not draw Wednesday's attention. The questioning tilt quickly transformed into a frustrated micro frown when Enid just shook her head with a grin and a wink. Bergamot's reaction could have been roughly translated as something like 'As if...' and it tickled her funny bone. Instead of answering truthfully, she opted to distract her instead.

"He likes it when you scratch the top of his snout gently, by the way."

She told her softly after approaching her. The raven haired girl tensed slightly at the sudden proximity but she didn't try to get more distance between them. 'Another win for the rainbow!' She cheered inwardly and decided to push just a bit further. She slowly brought their hands closer to each other and let her hand hover over Wednesday's, giving her enough time to pull away. Instead, the doll-like girl stared intently at their almost joined appendages without moving. Slowly, she touched it (so soft!) and guided the girl who seemed as if she was in trance.

"Right there... Now scratch it. You can use a bit more of your strength. He's a big boy and he can take it. Exactly. Just like that..."

For some reason, her subconscious refused to let her hand go so easily, but she knew she was overdoing it. With a monumental effort of her will, she let go of Wednesday, certain that the slightest sound of reluctance she thought she'd heard was nothing but wishful thinking. 'Distraction... Distraction... Distraction!'

"Right! Feeding time! That bucket is bigger than me and around four times as heavy. There are seven doggies present at the moment, Bergamot included. That means less than half the pack is here while the others have been rented out for hunts or law enforcement or similar things. Less work for us, but what I brought still only amounts to a snack for them. Something to tide them over until they go hunting. Don't give in to the younger one's begging. They love to try and look cute to get another bite."

Wednesday looked as close to incredulous as she was probably capable of while still seeming perfectly controlled.

"You have been here for less than three days. How do you know all of this?"

She asked, voice as always almost free from inflection. Enid smiled and shrugged before answering.

"I love to talk with people and the servants here do too. Socialising seems to be an efficient way to gather information I think, but that's not why I'm doing this. I simply like people. Also, Bergamot loves to brag about his pack."

An affirmative noise came from her back and she smiled and pointed over her back as if to say. 'See?'

Some more moments of scrutiny later, Wednesday seemed to have given up making sense of her and simply turned to the bucket while pushing her sleeves up. Enid hurried over and tilted the bucket to let her reach in and she unhesitatingly pulled out a large slab of bloody meat.

"Bergamot gets the lion's share so he lets the others feast until around half of the Bucket is left. Then he snatches it and goes off. He likes how the lower pieces have the blood of the upper ones marinating them. It makes them more tender. His tastes are really sophisticated."

She put as much sarcasm into the statement as she could, earning herself a playfully annoyed side-eye from said Alpha. She answered with a wink while Wednesday seemed to think for a moment with the slab in hand before rotating on the spot twice before letting go. It sprinkled some blood over the pack while approaching its target. One of the doggies in the back who seemed especially eager. That one was Scruffy, the runt of the litter. Still bigger than any dog in the mortal realm though. She missed by a bit but it wasn't a problem since he quickly snatched it out of the air with a hop. Only to be accosted by a slightly bigger hound, who was named Crow, causing them to scuffle for it under the indulgent eyes of Bergamot. Wednesday looked at her questioningly and Enid smiled back before answering.

"That's normal. It's just a snack so it's not as disciplined as a real feeding. If they tried something like this after a hunt, they'd be punished severely."

She nodded and pulled out the next slab. She threw this one at the silent hound in the back. She was the only female present and she was called Artemis. The name was fitting since she was hostile towards all males with the exception of Bergamot. She tolerated him and respected his position. She caught the better aimed throw and glared at the surrounding pack members, daring them to try and take her meal, before beginning to gnaw on it leisurely when no one was brave enough to approach.

It continued like that until Bergamot rose rather suddenly and snatched the Bucket from them to go and eat, causing Enid to snicker when she saw the slightly rigid posture Wednesday was left in.

"Now for the fun part. Roughhousing!"

She called out, making several of the doggies perk up, especially the younger ones. Scruffy didn't wait for anyone and immediately barrelled towards her. She braced herself and used his momentum against him. Redirecting the force of his charge, she had him on his back after a quick flip that left a small crater on the ground, and immediately gave him scratches that had him panting with his hind legs twitching from time to time.

"Who's a good doggie? You are. Yes, you are."

Scruffy took her words as encouragement, flipped himself over, and shot off towards Crow who had won the earlier scuffle and devoured the price. Sure, he got one of the other pieces, but his pride was damaged and now he wanted to redeem himself. Soon, the two of them were playing and Enid pulled back a bit, sitting down besides Wednesday as she observed the pack-whelps go at it. Feeling Wednesday's gaze on her, she glanced back without turning. Instead of averting her eyes as she did earlier, they held eye-contact for some moments before she leisurely turned them back towards the pack of vicious demonic hounds playing around like puppies under the indulgent eyes of Bergamot. Somehow, sitting here besides the monochrome girl who fascinated her to no end felt right in a way she hadn't experienced yet. She couldn't determine where the sensation came from or what inspired it, but it felt nice so she simply accepted it and decided to cherish those moments.

Chapter Text

~Gomez~

Curiously, he regarded his daughter. If he was being honest, aside from curiosity, a trace of hope gestated in the inhospitable environment that was his heart. For several days on end, she had now avoided him rather effectively. Of course that was only the case because he allowed her to. He wanted to give her the space she demanded in the hope that she would calm down some from whatever it was that had her hackles raised. Consequently, he only watched over her from a distance, not intruding extensively in her life. For reasons as of yet beyond his understanding, his little stormcloud's feelings towards him had taken a complicated turn. The way she looked at him was far more conflicted than it was only days before. He was certain something had happened but he simply did not know what.

And now, she'd wanted to speak with him. Privately. So they searched out a secure room and he invoked some casual rituals that separated the space surrounding them from the dimension they were in. He had learned those from Grandmama, and the process was far from pleasant. He couldn't wait until she decided to once again impart her wisdom in the most excruciating ways physically possible. It was always a. Invigorating experience. The rituals would ensure they were protected from casual eavesdropping as well as special displacement. Once he was done, he turned to his daughter. He sighed fondly, knowing that even though she searched out the conversation, Wednesday would just continue to stare at him if he didn't initiate communication. He sat down on the floor to place himself at the same height as she was, and asked gently.

"What can I do for you, mi pequena tormenta?"

He kept his tone fairly neutral besides the unmistakable and unwavering affection he held for his family. It was tinged with some curiosity, though. He was careful to not let his emotions get the better of him as he knew she... disliked his exuberance and wanted to accommodate her as much as possible. She was his daughter and he loved her beyond measure. Curbing some of his tendencies was challenging, but he accepted the sacrifice as a necessity to stay close to her. His determination was nearly forgotten when she addressed him however.

"Tell me, father. When did I become unworthy? Did you plan to tell me at all that you exacted revenge in my name without consulting with me first? When was I supposed to learn that you robbed me of the opportunity to cleanse myself of this shame?"

'Oh boy...' He thought to himself as his stomach plummeted. It was a sensation that was usually followed by a surge of adrenaline and reflexes beyond what most mortals were capable of. He knew it as a precursor for yet another near-death experience and had many fond memories of it. He was pretty sure this wouldn't be one of those. His fight-or-fight instincts would end up completely superfluous since he could neither fight nor flight to the death with his daughter at this particular moment. 'Though she'd enjoy it. Before ending up severely cross with me for distracting her.' He mused wrily. That said, things didn't seem to be as dire as he originally thought. Her tone was by no means confrontational but that didn't mean much for her. She was becoming excellent at hiding her emotions, and controlling what affected her voice was one of the first things she learned to do.

Still, he did usually have a good read on her, and oddly, she didn't seem to be all that upset. Certainly far less than he'd expected. Her mood could turn at any moment of course, but right now she seemed ponderous and considering. Not at all the smoldering powderkeg he had come to anticipate should she ever learn of it. He tilted his head slightly and considered her. She was taking this more maturely than he thought she would, so he wouldn't attempt to sugarcoat his answer.

"I'd like to know how you learned of it since I am very good at covering my tracks, but before I ask that answer of you, I'll give you yours. I didn't include you because you are fragile. Let me finish, please."

He added when he saw her temper rise. She reluctantly waited for his words to continue. He carefully formulated the remains of his response.

"Your psyche is still developing and your impulse control, beyond your years as it may be, is lacking compared to me. I barely managed to restrain myself from dismembering the little maggots who hurt you. I have no doubt you wouldn't have had the presence of mind to act similarly."

He paused and gave her a moment to consider this. Reluctantly, she nodded once, as much an acknowledgement of his point as he'd get out of her. The fond smile that wanted to spread on his lips was smothered and died a peaceful death. He couldn't afford to seem too soft right now, no matter how much he just wanted to pull her into his arms and shelter her from the world.

"The maggots weren't responsible, even though they carried out the act. Children can be remarkably tolerant and they are doubtlessly capable of the opposite end of the spectrum too. They are oftentimes thoughtless creatures who do not take into consideration the consequences of their actions. But in this case, after I concluded my investigation, I deemed their deeds to be solely inspired by what preconceptions they were fed at home. Instead of curbing their tendencies and deeds, of which the brutal murder of poor Nero wasn't the first one though certainly the most potent escalation, they were encouraged to carry on with their discriminatory actions. They are but the younglings of the festering plague that infests the mortal society as a whole."

He couldn't help the slight heat that entered his voice. He despised it when parents forcefully imbued their faulty views of the world into their children, molding them into lesser copies of their own flawed existences. He certainly wasn't perfect. That claim was justified solely when made by his wife who truly was a flawless example of life, and some time far in the future, she would be just as perfect an example of death. He wouldn't want his children to end up as a distorted mirror image of his own self when they could become so much more. Parents were supposed to guide and shelter. The actions of those people he took actions against fulfilled neither duty, smothering their potential instead. With a silent intensity radiating from his eyes, he tried to convey his thoughts.

"This occurrence is a perfect example of the scourge that burdens their world. Those uncompromisingly small-minded morons who spread the fear of the unknown and different. Maggots those children may be, but they are not yet the scourge. They can be redeemed. That is why I didn't include you. Had you asked, I'd have murdered them in less than a heartbeat. I still would, truth be told. Demand it today, and you'll find reports of their horrifically disfigured corpses in national news tomorrow. But I sincerely hope that you will let them grow into a hopefully more tolerable pest. The institutions I chose for them were among the more respectable ones, promoting a healthy work ethic and an open mind. They may reach adulthood and become more tolerant individuals with a healthy respect for others. If not, they'll disappear quietly."

He shrugged uncaringly before pausing once again, this time to collect his thoughts. If he answered the other part of her question honestly, he might very well permanently damage his relationship to his daughter and the thought caused agony far beyond even the most grievous of wounds he suffered. The revulsion he felt at the thought of lying to her outweighed any possible pain he'd suffer by far, though.

"As for when you were supposed to learn of it, ideally never."

Her sharp eyes snapped to him and he could feel the barely restrained fury flaring to life in her gaze before she closed them and took a slightly less shallow breath than usual. When she opened them again, they were very nearly placid. He wordlessly raised an eyebrow to show his surprise, receiving a flat stare that urged him to finish his bid for her forgiveness in return. Her self-control certainly improved again over the past few days. A small grin flashed over his lips before he suppressed his mirth and continued to explain himself.

"What I've done took the choice away from several people. With their intolerant views they'd passed on to their brood, they revoked their right for freedom in my opinion, but that fact does not change that I took it upon my conscience to utterly ruin four families. I systematically chipped away their support systems, social as well as monetary, before plunging them into the icy depths of bitter despair. I pushed them far beyond their stress tolerance and caused one heart failure, three nervous breakdowns, and six cases of criminal activity, which were of course brought to notice with local law enforcement by an anonymous source. And this was a mere warning. I let myself be restrained by mortal law. I could have done far, far worse as you certainly know."

He waited for a moment to let her digest his words. He could see that she was surprised by the extent of the consequences his actions had. Intellectually, she knew he was capable of ruthlessness. But all the stories she'd heard were of battles in Hell, where it was a necessity to prove your mettle by remorselessly obliterating all obstacles in your way. The Addams Clan thrived in such circumstances. The fact that through different means, he was capable of crushing his opposition in the mortal world as well and that he would do so without hesitation if his family was endangered or slighted wasn't a novel piece of information for her, but it was the first concrete example. Once he was certain she understood, he continued.

"I played with their lives in a way I don't want you to experience yet, if ever. You are not an innocent or naive girl. You are mature beyond your years and capable of much more than most people thrice your age with that prodigious mind of yours. But this level of psychological terror is unsuited for you I believe. I acted in what I thought, and still think, was your best interest. I am sorry for how this may shake our relationship and I regret causing you any amount of pain, but I wouldn't change my decision if I could."

A hint of reluctance entered her eyes as she deeply stared into his. Would he survive it if she scorned him here? Most likely yes, though his existence would be a miserable one. The verdict came more quickly than he expected. And in a far different manner than he thought. It came in the form of trust.

"Father. The reason for my continued coldness and refusal of any kind of affection was a misunderstanding of certain facts as I am now coming to understand. I had an enlightening conversation a few days ago. My eyes were opened to true suffering that made mine seem like a summer breeze compared to a tempest. A natural disaster obliterating everything in its path. She came to know about the death of my dear Nero and it's surrounding circumstances by accident and found it necessary to share her own trials with me in return."

'Oh. That is admiration in her eyes. A tempest compared to her summer breeze? Calling being forced to observe the violent murder of a beloved pet a summer breeze...' His curiosity peaked. She didn't belittle what happened to her, he realised. Instead, she used this comparison to make him understand the vast difference in scope. And for her to claim such a chasm between their experiences... Just who was this mysterious person? And what did she survive to evoke such a peculiar reaction in his daughter?

"I will not share her identity, and neither will I inform you of what she went through. I will respect her privacy as she did mine when she came to me and righted a perceived wrong. She is certainly stronger than me and far wiser as well. She is light and darkness, mixed in a peculiar blend. She is monstrous and she is admirable. I will endeavour to follow her teachings. She is also the source of my knowledge. Through the same means with which she learned of my own tragedy, she also glimpsed into your deeds."

'A seer then. Capable of looking into the past at least. In the form of visions? Or does she use psychometry?' His thoughts were racing. Whoever she was, she had a profound impact on his little deathtrap. Though, he suspected she wasn't the sole reason for her sudden contemplations. The psychedelic one likely had an impact too.

"She informed me in broad strokes of what you've done and told me that you and mother are 'awesome'."

She tasted the word as if she found it particularly revolting and he almost smiled again. He wasn't certain either if he appreciated being dubbed as such, but he understood the spirit in which it was given.

"She claimed that you are good parents, but also that you failed to understand how this ordeal affected me. As such, let me inform you."

A pit formed in his stomach. Had he underestimated the impact this trauma had on his malevolent spawn? The worry must have shown on his features because the corners of her eyes softened ever so slightly. She didn't verbalise her thoughts on his expressed emotions however, and did as she said instead.

"I was under the mistaken belief that emotions were what caused me such pain. So I attempted to seal the burden away. I endeavoured to purge all positive emotional bonds to protect my heart from ever being rended like this again. I attempted to harden my malevolent core until nothing but rage and fury and apathy could possibly enter the organ."

This was worse than he thought. If she had continued with that line of thought... An unfeeling Addams. One without passion. It was an impossibility. There were some who wanted to curb their desires and unwanted urges permanently, but without fail, they went insane. Well, more insane than was usual for their cooky little clan. Serial killers, unrepenting tyrants, catholic priests, and worst of all, lawyers came to be in such a manner. The thought of his daughter entering law school with such an attitude made him shudder. She ignored his dramatics and continued her explanation.

"My mistakes were pointed out to me, and quite bluntly might I add. The fact that the way I thought and acted would have ended up weakening me in the long run was mercilessly driven into my mind. That willful ignorance of an intrinsic part of myself would undermine my whole self and leave me floundering without a clue, should I ever be forcefully confronted with that aspect of my existence. As I already mentioned, the conversation was enlightening."

He could agree with that sentiment. Ignoring a part of yourself never ended well. Especially for an Addams.

"I found myself agreeing with her. Not least because I had the perfect example for her words in front of my eyes. Enid lives through emotion. She breathes and exudes everything that others keep in their innermost sanctum. She shares freely what others conventionally hide away. And she does it without fear. Instead of seeming vulnerable and fragile, it seems to add to her strength instead. It makes her radiant in a way that makes me stare at her just to catch a glimpse, no matter how much my senses scream at me to avert my eyes."

The wonder in her voice. The far off gaze once she began to talk about her. Oh. He could see it. Remember it. Taste it. The phantom of a sensation travelled through his body, a faint echo of how he felt when his eyes first glimpsed at the dark beauty his wife so effortlessly projected. His daughter was caught. The fact that it happened so early in life was both, a blessing and a curse. Romantic affection was a long way off for her and it didn't even need to develop in that direction. There were a fair few members of the Addams Clan who could be described with labels such as Asexual among other unconventional preferences.

The endless fascination would soon transform into an obsession fit for those tragic Tales of Old, however. That much was all but guaranteed. It had already taken grasp of her, and it was the one aspect that had struck every Addams as of yet with the notable exception of his exceptionally deranged brother Fester, who had somehow managed to severely agitate a powerful eldritch entity. His grating personality vexed the being enough to curse him with misfortune in all romantic matters. Even the Addams Family Curse would need a while to assimilate that malediction. Pulling his wandering mind back under his control, he enquired.

"I would have thought that her... penchant for inducing sensory overload in those she interacts with would make you more wary of approaching her. Though I am certain we all can appreciate the potential seizures that may follow."

Her first reaction was the onset of an indignant glare before it changed towards a more thoughtful stare as she realised the truth of his statement. She pondered for a moment before trying to explain her stance.

"Her physical appearance is of far less import than her other qualities. She is everything I endeavoured to loath. The epitome of expressive emotion. Nothing is hidden and everything is shown. I have seen shallow and mindless examples of a similar attitude, but they were without substance. They had no depth and showed themselves not because of a choice but because they didn't know better. They were vulnerable and they strengthened my belief that emotions of the positive kind are nothing but a burden."

Her expression of distaste was limited to a slight curling of her lips, which was her equivalent of hurling from disgust. She caught herself quickly though and continued to explain.

"That stigma they carry is present in Enid too, but in her, it has the opposite effect. She is intelligent and astute. She chose to present her most inner self openly without falsehood. In her, that marred and unfocused glow that does nothing but emphasise a weakness becomes a brilliant Light, showing all the reasons she'd go to war for. A strength beyond anything I've ever seen. I feel drawn to it in a way that leaves me puzzled. What truly confounds me however is that I find the gentle light engulfing me as she smiles in my direction to be not nearly as repugnant as I usually would. Instead, I feel compelled to... provoke that reaction from her repeatedly. I... I like her smile..."

She confessed with deep confusion colouring her voice. He sighed with a slightly helpless smile on his lips that went unnoticed by his usually incredibly astute daughter. Her gaze was directed at a memory, conjured up by her mind as she talked. She was under her thrall, no doubt about it. He wasn't sure her mind was ready for it. She was far more mature than any child her age had a right to be, but at the same time she was so very fragile. This would change, now that she expressed her acknowledgement of that fact, but change needed time, effort, and in some cases support. He wasn't certain what to do, or if he should do anything at all. Was it so bad to let the Curse run its course without interference? Running some scenarios through his head, he admitted to himself. 'It could be. For her and many others.'

He already observed her gravitate towards her polar opposite in the past few days. As he observed her from the shadows, she did the same with Lucifer's daughter. Until she was caught. This one incident seemed more notable than others, because the direct contact they shared then was the spark that was needed to establish a tentative relationship. A friendship, as unlikely as it seemed from the outside. The hounds her grandfather reared were highly aggressive, and they refused to even allow her close enough to take a proper look at them. That was before Enid Morningstar got to them. Now she was allowed to close in since they seemed to appreciate Enid's penchant for proudly showing off how smart and 'nice' the doggies were by playing games with them. They included his daughter and some of their activities should have ended lethally for most of those who were involved, but as an Addams, he was far more relaxed in such matters. Defying the sweet call of death was simply routine for his Clan.

He did draw a fair amount of amusement from the flummoxed expression that seemed to have been edged into the old chap Tauron's face, even though he could understand his befuddlement. The hounds were bred and trained to be hunters. Vicious, bloodthirsty, and violent. And now they were following Enid around while wagging their tails and lolling their tongues. He even heard some yips. He would certainly not consider that a sound he'd ever thought would come from any of those beasts. A pack of them was enough to bring down a Stygian Behemoth if they managed to catch it by surprise. That was how dangerous they were. He understood why them behaving like puppies just didn't seem to compute for Tauron.

All of this didn't matter to Gomez, though. Beneath the edges of his moustache a soft smile had spread when he watched on as his little stormcloud rubbed the Alpha's muzzle with a visible expression of wonder on her delicate features. He should have made the connection then, especially since she allowed the girl who looked as if she fell into several buckets of paint consecutively to touch her hand and guide her. But he didn't. Instead he was focussed on making sure she wouldn't end up mauled by the great beast. Even lying down, the Alpha was well over double her size. It could have ripped her to shreds in seconds. But instead, it indulged her with a glance towards the little girl who was one of two main reasons for the change in his daughter that he felt he couldn't predict even if he wanted to. His eyes fell upon the silent girl in front of him, who still seemed somewhat lost in thought.

"She is bound to return to the mortal realm as you know. Her stay in Hell is limited to around two weeks, of which one is almost over."

He gently prodded as he reminded her. His words caused the lines around her lips to harden slightly as she returned his gaze with a stubborn glint flashing through her eyes. It seemed she had already found a 'solution' for the dilemma and he could imagine two possible paths she might consider taking.

"Abducting the first daughter of Lucifer and Heiress Apparent of the Realms of Hell might be... more self-destructive an idea than you are ready to weather, my dearest deathtrap."

He warned her gently, though mostly in jest. She glared at him with a hint of colour to her cheeks that clued him in that yes, she had at least considered the possibility. Keeping his face carefully blank, he tried to suppress his mirth while considering the alternatives.

"I did not entertain such an asinine idea... For long. She may resent me if I make the attempt. Not to mention that I would need an incredibly potent sedative or paralytic agent to even..."

She trailed off as couldn't keep the short bellow of a laugh contained. The colour on her cheeks deepened a shade as he shook his head fondly. He returned her glare with a gaze filled with affection that made her avert her eyes moodily. The amount of emotion she was showing in front of him was staggering after having seen her increasingly close off every aspect of herself over the past three years. Already, she was changing and he didn't yet know if it was for better or for worse, though he liked to think it was the former. It didn't really matter however since he'd support her either way so the difference was really just a label for him. Not to mention that it was a matter of perspective. Better for one might be worse for others and vice versa. He turned his thoughts to the second possible solution she might have considered. If keeping her here was impossible, then...

"Relocation it is, then?"

He asked her with a shrewd light in his eyes. She abandoned her glaring contest with the wall and turned her gaze back to him, looking at him seriously.

"While I am a Cambion, my physical differences to the human race are negligible and mostly internal. The same is the case with Dudley, that sentimental fool. Even Mother's third eye is easily explained by claiming her to be an outcast. There are yokai who inherently develop a third visual organ and several cases of additional body parts were recorded among psychic outcasts. The Addams Clan is already well established and I am known to some of them as the Heiress. Establishing an identity for me would not be a challenging endeavour."

She threw argument after argument at him, showing just how much she thought of it. She didn't even realise how out-of-character her actions were. She rarely talked more than a few words at a time, being content to communicate her scorn through piercing glares and to make people lose their confidence and composure with silent intensity. Instead of using her usual strategies, she tried to convince him with logic instead.

His amusement was at an all-time high but he didn't let it affect his mien. Instead, he gravely intoned with mockery underlining his voice.

"The young Heiress surely is a domineering figure. Drowning out any and all opposition I might have had before I can even mount them. Very well, your wish is my command."

He smoothly rose to his full height and gave her the epitome of sarcastic bows, just in time to avoid the hell-forged dagger that sailed past him, millimeters above his head. She restrained herself quickly and refrained from sending another weapon at him, making him glance at her curiously. His heart palpitated in a decidedly unhealthy way when he saw her crossed arms and the slightest of pouts on her lips. This was a reaction he hadn't seen from her in years. The next time he encountered Lucifer's multicoloured spawn, he'd have to thank her profusely for allowing him to witness his daughter's emotions again.

He also had to investigate the identity of whoever broke through the self-destructive spiral he foolishly overlooked in his precious deathtrap's behaviour. Whatever she told her must have had a severe impact on her psyche. One of Wednesday's most defining characteristics was her supreme stubbornness. To convince her that she was wrong wasn't an easy task at all. His attention was capitalised once again by the first fruit of his obsession when she released a resigned huff of discontent before looking at him with something in her eyes that he could only rarely spy from her even at her young age. Uncertainty. She was nothing if not decisive however, so the insecure expression faded into determination rather quickly.

"As I have been wrong when I refused to acknowledge my emotions, the behaviour based on that assumption can be concluded as incorrect too. I... will allow a limited amount of physical affection as long as it occurs in private... Ten... No, five seconds. Dare to touch me any longer and I will cut you."

She trailed off with unfocused eyes. She was uncomfortable, he knew, but that didn't change the fact that he forgot how to breathe. Desperate sparks of hope ignited into an all-encompassing inferno, engulfing his emotional stability and rendering it nill. His tears proceeded to fall before he could do as much as attempt to stem the flow. Reverently, he inquired.

"Did... You just give me permission to embrace you?..."

Her scowl was underlined by sparking eyes and a rigid posture. Before she could rain down vitriol on him, he approached her and went down on a knee again. He didn't hurry, allowing her to pull back if she wasn't ready. Her posture continued to imitate Rigor Mortis as he engulfed her with his fatherly affection. He took care to smother her just enough to offset her aversion against gentle touch. He actively ignored how her breath hitched, and the way she floundered a bit before clutching at his jacket. He smothered his smile when first five and then ten seconds passed. And he certainly wouldn't ever mention that her whole body slowly relaxed against his while her tiny hands so proficient in inflicting grievous harm unerringly tightened their hold on his garments. Instead, he simply held her tighter, enjoying the feeling of a reconnected bond. It was only several minutes later that he had to dodge a half-hearted swipe with a kukri knife she recently received from her uncle. They played around for a bit, keeping their bout strictly non-lethal, before he subdued her when a well known sensation spread through his mortal coil.

His senses suddenly sharpened and he felt a pull towards one of the rooms of the mansion. The woman who had immeasurably enriched his life with the elegant darkness she perfectly embodied, had finally arrived with the cuddly pest pustule he called son. The little tyke was only six, but he was already gleefully throwing around mid range explosives he was gifted by Fester. Seeing his eyes light up when another rock formation violently exploded was all kinds of adorable.

As was always the case, he felt compelled to wait on his wife, every waking second. He had reasons beyond his ever growing obsession to seek her presence however. He had information to communicate and plans to convey. He needed to make preparations for the relocation and who would ever be better to advise him than his dear wife.

"Let's go greet your mother and your brother, mi pequena tormenta. They arrived a minute ago. I cannot fathom another one away from her side."

He studiously ignored the long-suffering air she exuded and strode over to the entrance of the room while breaking the enchantments he had woven with his hard-earned ritualistic prowess. His stride did break shortly before he opened the door however. Nonplussed, he listened to the conversation that was happening before it.

"Her scent ends right here. I tell you, she's in there, even though I can't smell... wait, there it is! I can smell her again!"

Her enthusiastic claim was answered by a noncommittal humm. He opened the door and turned his eyes to the colourful explosion in front of him. The experience began with her hair, which claimed the colour of the sun, artificially enhanced with a purple gleam. The shirt she was wearing had poison green sleeves and a sky-blue body with prancing unicorns depicted vividly all over her chest. A far too bright pink that drew some pained tears from his eyes was chosen for her trousers. Her shoes at least were of a more sensible taste, somewhere in between wine-red and the colour of dried blood.

In addition to the downright debilitating choices of colours, the Item of Power that was hidden beneath her collar added to the pressure his mind had to endure. Simply from the sensation, he could tell that it would viciously tear into those who had malicious intentions towards her. He approved. She blinked up at him before unleashing a smile that made him suffer a delightful little seizure. It was the consequence of a combination of factors, those being the downright psychedelic experience that was her choices of colours for her garments and Lucifer's trinket that could have erased his existence with a mere flex of its power and that far too bright smile. Faintly, he perceived her greeting.

"Hello, Mr. Addams! I smelled Wednesday in here so I wanted to ask her if she wants to go play? I wanna show her the knives I've gotten from aunty Maze as a reward for learning how to catch them with my teeth!"

Her smile faltered for a moment before she turned her eyes up at him with a slight pout.

"Oh... Please don't tell my dad? He doesn't like it when she throws sharp objects at me but I asked her to so she shouldn't get in trouble for it."

She pleaded with him, showing off her impressive mental manipulation technique in the form of puppy dog eyes. This living light was the one his daughter ended up tethered to. This bundle of positivity was her partner for eternity. He couldn't help it. A boisterous laugh echoed through the room. Oh, his daughter was in for a wild ride, that was certain.

~Morticia Addams~

"Now, remember, my dearest pustule. No bombing grandfather's parlor. He does not appreciate the mess you leave behind every time you get in a mood. He may just keep you from visiting the sulfur springs if you do it again."

Her son's fingers closed tighter around her hand when he heard her warning. She didn't need to look at him to know that he was looking at her with those soulful eyes and a wobbling lower lip. She knew they spoiled him a bit and it would come back to haunt them later on, but he was just so incredibly adorable. It was pure torment to withstand the onslaught of his unintentional manipulation.

"I'm certain we can find alternative arrangements for you to indulge in your need for hazardous devastation. Just try and keep it away from the main house? Please?"

She smiled down at him and almost cooed when she saw his face scrunching up reluctantly as if he was making the hardest decision of his life. Finally, with a put-upon sigh, he assented.

"Ok, mom. For you."

He sounded as if he was making the biggest sacrifice, and for him, that might have even been true. As she smiled fondly at her precious plague boil, she noted idly that her husband was late. Usually, if he was in the same general vicinity, he broke through walls and floors to reach her in the least amount of time when she teleported in. Out of respect for her father, he refrained from doing so, but he should have nonetheless reached her some minutes ago. Idly, she cast her vision into his future, only to be violently rebuffed by a glaring Light and ominous, half-lidded eyes. She blinked, disoriented for a moment, before smirking lightly. 'Interesting...' She thought to herself, but made no further attempt. The sensation of the Light was concurrently familiar and alien, reminding her of her Lord and yet it seemed different. Did he perhaps sire a child? It wasn't impossible, just highly improbable.

Her thoughts halted when she saw her husband turn around the corner. Instead of frantically pushing through any and all obstacles to reach her, he was striding in her direction with measured steps, exuding a jovial and content aura. The confidence in his current appearance made her lower body heat up as if someone deposited a load of smoldering coals in her innards. Keeping her urges in check as to not traumatised their son in all the wrong ways, she merely threw him a three-eyed coy glance that made his heartbeat triple. Outwardly, there was close to no sign for his sudden hot-blooded state. Only deep in his eyes could she spy the intent to utterly ruin her. He was usually as submissive towards her as he was dominant in all other matters, but occasionally, his mood took a turn and she very much enjoyed those breaks from routine. 'I can't wait to be alone with the Darkness in my Heart~...'

With that thought, she compartmentalised her emotions and curiously looked around only to not find even the smallest sign for her daughter's presence, causing a sting in her chest cavity that was not at all as pleasant as her brother-in-law's electric current surging through her. While she was distant towards them in recent years, it was unusual for her to be absent when she arrived. Had their relationship deteriorated even further during her absence? She didn't know if she could endure it if it was so.

"Mon cœur noir. Tell me, has our daughter abandoned us completely?"

The pain in her voice was enough to overwrite his instantaneous instinct to lavish her with his carnal attention whenever she used the language of passion. Instead, a gentle smile paired up with soft eyes as he took her free hand into his.

"Let me show you something..."

He intoned with an underlying emotional timbre. She followed his lead, navigating the maze that was her ancestral home with ensured steps, until they reached the backyard. In the distance, she spied her daughter, and she wasn't alone. That in and of itself was already a surprise. The person who accompanied her was an eyesore in the truest sense of the word however. It was hard to directly observe her for whenever she did, the girl caused spots in her field of vision. She was reminded of the sun in that regard, and the bright laughter that echoed over to them underlined her brightness in a unique way. They were embroiled in an attempt to shed blood, though it seemed that only her dear fille de la nuit was attempting to do so while the bright spot danced around her attacks with frankly ridiculous displays of flexibility.

"Look at them play. Isn't it marvelous? She has finally found a friend. And possibly far more..."

Her husband gently pulled her close, and she absent-mindedly accepted his affection by snaking her arm behind his back. The question teetering on her lips was asked not by her, but by their son instead.

"Who's she and why does it hurt to look at her?"

He seemed delighted about the latter, which was no wonder. He enjoyed the occasional grievous harm as much as the next Addams, but his body's increasingly impervious nature made it a challenge to inflict any kind of physical wound on him. It was the reason why his sister took it upon herself to find ways to torment him. They had a deep sibling bond, even though Wednesday denied it with threats of harm and death. She shelved those idle thoughts to concentrate on her husband's answer.

"This is one of the Lights in Lord Lucifer's life. He adopted her some months ago and ever since, she continued to brighten his days. She was found in the woods by our little storm and she is the newest target of her obsession. If my hunch proves correct, she might be a permanent one."

Her surprise manifested in her snapping her gaze to him, only to find a sly grin on his roguish lips. Was he serious? Did she truly find her partner in the woods of her father's estate, and so early in life? Additionally, it wasn't just anyone, but the Daughter of Lucifer who had a Shine so bright, she literally seared herself into her retina.

"You are not jesting, are you? You truly believe she might be her destined partner? I feared she might have been abandoned by Fate when I failed to prophesize her future... But now, it seems as if my Sight was merely obscured by the immeasurable Light of our Lord... And if I might ask, who is the third girl?"

She asked curiously when her attention was caught by the attendance of a far more subdued presence, seated with her back pressed against a tree as she observed the bout between day and night. As if she'd felt her gaze, the girl turned her attention to Morticia, causing a shiver to run down her spine. It felt as if she was set upon by the Light of her Lord before he mellowed out. Seemingly subdued her presence may have been, but she was clearly connected to the Fallen Son of the Creator. After being mustered by a gaze at least as discerning as her own, the attention faded away, dismissing Morticia as an unimportant addition. The dismissive sensation made her smile wrily as her husband answered the question once more.

"This is the second daughter of our Lord. In years, she is older, but Enid was the first to be adopted, making her the First Heiress for the throne. A decision the Infernal Dimension seems to tacitly approve of as the corruptive influence of the surroundings seem to almost caress her instead of trying to overwhelm her defenses."

He sounded giddy with joy and merriment. It was clear that the mere thought of their daughter finally socialising catapulted his spirit into the nether realms. She could certainly concur with his excitement. Especially since her superior eyesight spied something akin to a smile on her daughter's lips. More than three years. For more than three whole years, she hadn't seen her daughter's lips do so much as twitch upwards. A sudden tidal wave of emotion overwhelmed her carefully crafted mask. Three separate streams of tears erupted from her eyes, marking them as expressions of joy. Had they been tears of misery or mourning, they'd have flown from the eyes of her enemies instead. Her husband, cursed as he was, immediately recognised her turmoil and offered silent support. She leaned against him and soaked up the comforting warmth he offered.

"Mom, dad, I wanna play too! Can I? Pretty please? I promise I won't ruin Grandpa's study again!"

He was pulling at her hand to get her attention and she left the task of answering their impatient spawn to her husband as she didn't trust her voice to sound anything like herself right now.

"Of course you can go over, but be sure to ask your sister before you intrude on her match. It is rude to do so unannounced."

Pugsley nearly vibrated with excitement as he called out loudly.

"YES!"

Before letting go of her hand and storming off towards the gathering of super powered girls. Clumsy as he was, he didn't quite manage to finish his approach without stumbling. Incidentally, he tackled the bright spot after his stumble and managed to get himself thrown reflexively into the woods with magnificent technique. She released a breathy laugh, her voice still husky from overflowing emotions.

"Lucifer's daughter is panicking and doesn't understand why Wednesday is so uncaring even though she just bounced her brother hundreds of meters through a forest infested by demonic entities and carnivorous flora, fauna, and mystica. This is prime entertainment."

Her husband stated while his hands began to wander. It was clear that he was in the mood for another brand of entertainment. Her eyes went over to the slightly obscured form of her Lord, who was lying on a deck chair he got from... somewhere. He glanced at them with a hint of amusement shining in his warm eyes as he waved them away. It seemed she was set to devour her husband earlier than expected. Or maybe he'd turn the tables on her for once? He certainly seemed even more passionate than usual, she noted as she halfheartedly fended off his advances while riling him up even more. As they entered the building, they could still faintly hear their son's excited clamouring.

"Again! Again!"

They shared an amused glance that quickly turned amorous and led to unspeakable activities in the name of love. Unmentionable acts that might very well result in a sibling for the beloved monsters they already produced.

~Lucifer~

After he sent the pair of lovebirds away so as to not traumatise his little ones, his eyes wandered back to the children playing in the backyard. Watching his children and their newest friends in their merrymaking was supremely relaxing for the Lord of Hell. He had yet to decide if he wanted to praise or punish Maze, though. The way Enid handled sharp weapons told him that she had a fair amount of practice with them, and he sincerely doubted that she could have developed all the instincts and muscle memory necessary by exclusively using their blunted siblings. For now, he decided to put it out of his mind however.

He let his eyes rove over the Addams siblings, stopping on Pugsley for a long moment. The lad was durable. Far more so than his frame hinted at. It was an unusual ability to have for a Frump who were often almost exclusively limited to their psychic heritage. There were some exceptions of course. Tauron himself was one of those. He awakened a very limited form of precognition in his youth, allowing him to accurately glance some seconds into the future. People told him it was useless and he should just give up on the title of Patriarch. He went on a pilgrimage to hone himself instead, and returned with a body forged to perfection and an iron will. He then proved on the battlefield just how incredibly terrifying and impressive martial prowess can be when combined with a few seconds of foresight.

The man defeated and killed enemies who on paper were many times more powerful than him, and ensured in this way that all his naysayers were silenced. Lucifer held a fair amount of admiration for the Frump Patriarch. The few times they sparred, the man proved to be a tricky opponent. Of course he couldn't truly keep pace with his Lord, but the sheer stubborn streak he had in combination with his well developed physique made him endure far longer than almost any other. The matches were equally fun and vexing since he refused to stay down even on the verge of death. To return to the origin of this thread of thought, he analysed the manifested ability of the younger Addams spawn. Pugsley seemed to have inherited another unique take on the psychic abilities of the Frump Clan.

He sensed an extremely dense concentration of telekinetic energy around the boy, forming an automatic defense around his body that protected him from nearly all harm. It was interesting to perceive it interact with the world around him. And the way he bounced from all kinds of surfaces after being thrown by his daughter was humorous to watch. After she ensured that he wasn't hurt, she acquiesced to test the limits of his 'invulnerability' and as of yet, they had yet to find any. Admittedly, they weren't trying very hard as the priority seemed to be to have fun. Said fun consisted of kicking the little tyke like a football, looking just how quickly and how far away they could move him. He came running a few minutes later with a bright smile on his lips, showing off a gap in his teeth.

The friendship that was rapidly developing between his daughters and the Addams Siblings was adorable to watch. Their macabre way of thinking fazed neither Enid nor Dinah, and that fact seemed to put the two dark apparitions at ease and he was glad for it. He didn't know Morticia all that well, only having met her back when she was a little inquisitive and precocious child, but her husband was a good friend of his, as was her father, and having a rift between them in the new generation would have been regrettable. Luckily that didn't seem to be the case. Indeed, even Dinah participated in the spars they were having in the name of playing. Much to little Wednesday's chagrin, she was a force to be reckoned with too. While Enid relied on her reflexes and training, Dinah was far more straightforward. It seemed as if she knew beforehand where the attack would land and she moved accordingly. Her fighting style was very much reminiscent of Tauron's, though far less refined.

"Aww, don't be sad, Wednesday! You're very good and getting better all the time! I'll talk to Maze! Maybe she'll train you? Dinah and I together can't even make her move! She's sooo strong and I'm sure you'll get even better with her to help!"

His daughter, ever the brightest spot of sunshine in everyone's life, endeavoured to cheer her new friend up after some of her frustrations slipped through her mask, and despite her lacking emotive depth, she seemed pacified. He wondered if it was the words or who said them that had this kind of instantaneous effect. With a sly little smirk, he stood up from his lounging chair and pulled the snacks he prepared earlier from the pocket dimension that saw quite a bit of misappropriated use recently. Immediately, the multicoloured menace he fondly called daughter perked up, scented the air, and smiled brightly at her partners in violent crime.

"Break time! Dad made something to eat! Let's go!"

She didn't wait for an answer, barrelling towards him instead. With a running jump, she cleared the last few meters and only his quick reaction and his telekinetic prowess saved the snacks from being smashed by the friendly long-range missile named Enid.

He cradled her securely against his chest, eliciting some giggles and content noises with his instinctively affectionate gesture. Dinah wandered over at a more sedate pace with the other two in tow. There was some awe to be spied in the pigtailed girl's eyes, as he noticed the first time they met, and Pugsley was staring at him with outright hero worship.

"Woah, that's actually Satan. The big D himself. He's really your father? I thought my dad was pulling my leg. Hey, is it true that you once beat up an Archdemon with his own leg? Or that the Unmentionable Scar was caused by a temper tantrum of yours? Or what about the one where you crashed a marriage, seduced the mothers of the groom, the bride, and the best man and started an orgy? Oh, what's an orgy by the way? Mom says I'm too young to know but I'm a big boy, I can handle everything!"

'He's a menace...' Lucifer's thoughts summarised themselves in such a manner as he listened to the gap-toothed boy. Six years old and he was fearlessly tarnishing the Devil's reputation. 'Though... I guess I have to thank Gomez for that one.' He corrected himself. Those stories could have only come from the Addams Patriarch after all.

"I have done the first one, but Asmodeus did deserved it. He was very rude and he caught me in a less than pleasant mood. The Scar was not the product of a temper tantrum, but the end result of a dispute between two warring factions who had the questionable idea of bringing their conflict in front of me when I was recovering from a severe headache. Not their wisest decision, I might add. As for the last one? You are by far too young to even know of it, but for completeness sake, yes. It is true and I certainly didn't stop with those three. I cannot in good conscience explain to any of you what an orgy is. Ask your grandfather. If he tells you, inform your mother. It would be highly irresponsible of him and she is sure to... react in a volatile manner, let's say."

The sly grin he received in return informed him that the boy understood what was happening and was wholeheartedly for it. Good man. Having laid the groundwork for a little prank, he gently removed a reluctant little Morningstar from his person to distribute the treats. This time, he made meat pastries. The savoury treats were prepared with different meats of varying consistency, vegetables, and spices. Some even had the ground innards of demonic beasts as filling. He telekinetically pushed some of the spicier ones with more heady meats towards the Addams Siblings, expecting them to have similar tastes to their father, while those with a lighter blend of spices went towards his own. Enid had some problems with strong tastes at the moment since her senses were sharpening and she wasn't quite used to the new intensity yet, and Dinah generally liked her meats lightly seasoned and mild in taste.

Soon, they were all busy consuming their snacks. Pugsley delighted in the colour and juiciness of the liver in his pastry while Wednesday chewed with measured grace, ignoring the curious glances Enid sent her as she nibbled on her own treat. Well, she seemed to be ignoring her, but he knew that wasn't the case. She was acutely aware of the attention and was struggling with keeping her uncaring façade. Dinah sat in his lap, idly munching on her meal while communicating literally singlehandedly communicating with Thing. He knew she understood Sign, but he wasn't aware she was this fluent with it. When she caught his raised eyebrow, indicating his surprise and pride, she just shrugged, but since she was situated in his lap, he could sense that she was pleased beneath her stubbornly deadpan mien.

"My apologies, Thing. I do not have any sinners close-by to filter their malevolent energies towards you. I can however offer you a hint of my Infernalis. It should sustain you for some time."

He froze for a moment before frantically signing.

'Are you serious? That's the equivalent of a five-star meal in taste, and an all-you-can-eat buffet in saturation! I'd be glad to indulge if it doesn't strain you, my Lord.'

With a small sound of amusement, he pushed some of his tainted essence towards the severed appendage. He glowed for a moment before shivering and lying down.

"I already regained what you just fed on, by the way."

Lucifer conversationally stated, making the hand lazily wave a finger at him. 'At least it wasn't the middle one this time.' He thought with some exasperated amusement colouring the thought. Sometimes, Thing got into the mood to push boundaries and his jokes certainly tended to end up on the crasser end of the spectrum on such days. Luckily, he held back his more raucous brand of humour and stayed PG in the presence of children.

A faint sensation spelling some trouble raced through his veins, marring the peaceful atmosphere for him. He didn't show his distress outwardly however and continued to skillfully entertain the audience with anecdotes and memories of a life long past. The Seal would break, but that wasn't a bad thing. His preparations were complete and he had already planned to make her an offer. There was no hurry however. He had some time still and he was planning on spending every possible minute with his children.

~The Goddess of Creation~

She kept her boundless elation in check, though it was a challenge to do so. After all, her success was almost guaranteed by now. Soon, she'd be free from this unjust confinement. She loathed the restrictive nature of this place. But her efforts were about to be rewarded. Centuries ago, there was a quake of unmitigated power that echoed through the realm. She didn't know what it was that forced her son and jailer to exert himself so, but it was a stroke of fortune for her. The Seal weakened for just a moment. The blink of an eye really. And it was enough. She managed to gather a hint of Divine Power and hide it away before the full force of the Seal snapped into place again.

Ever since, she worked hard to undermine the structural integrity of the Seal while hiding what she was doing. Deceit and Stealth were part of her domains, so it wasn't that challenging, but restraining herself to not accidentally trigger any potential warning systems or draw the attention of her son was tormentous in its own right. Her willpower prevailed however, and she certainly wouldn't risk being found out now. Her son should still be away on the earthern realm for one of those vacations of his, but that didn't mean he wasn't paying some attention. She had to be concurrently careful, swift, and decisive.

Soon, the crucial moment arrived. She gathered her Energy and observed the array consisting of an uncountable number of Enochian symbols, intertwining to form a slowly revolving matrix of unmatched complexity that illuminated her prison cell with a deceptively benign golden glow. She had been here for more years than she cared to count and yet, she understood less than a tenth of this dastardly thing. 'I can claim many things about my ex, and few of them are flattering, but I have to concede to him in intellectual matters. The man is an unmatched genius. I am no slouch with seals, but this thing is so far beyond me, it's not even funny.' She allowed herself a small scowl which was underlined with reluctant respect before forcing any and all emotions back behind her ice cold mask. She didn't need to understand it in its entirety. She had all the tools to overwhelm it after centuries of hard work.

With a vicious growl rippling past her lips, she lashed out with the fury of aeons behind her attack. A fierce purple glow with interspersed flecks of corrosive darkness slammed into the steadily turning script with earth-shattering might. The Seal held up for some moments, making her dread that she miscalculated the accumulated power needed to break through. Her hope rekindled when the first crack appeared and before long, it splintered to pieces with the sound of glass shattering violently. The faint glow of flickering runes continued to shine a subdued light, casting the shadows of her kneeling form on the wall behind her. The attack left her severely weakened but even in this state, the endless relief of Freedom swept through her, startling a bright laugh out of her.

She had to hurry however, so she saved the elated feelings for later and crawled out of her cell since walking was a bit beyond her at the moment. As soon as she crossed the threshold, she froze. Because on the ground besides the cell, there sat her jailer. He glanced at her not with the scorn she had come to expect, but with a faint sense of sympathy. She registered that peculiarity only distantly however as it was overshadowed by the profound despair she felt at the thought of being sealed again. Her plan was coming down around her without ever truly taking off. Determined to never be confined to that detested room again, she tried to gather the pitiful amount of energy that was left from her prison break, only to have it dispersed by a casual wave of her son's hand. It took all her self-control to force the sob that wanted to pass her throat back down. She missed the single tear that left her eye, though.

He looked at her with an unreadable expression on his flawless features before he sighed and once again gestured with his hand. She felt herself lifted from the ground and placed across from him in a more dignified posture than crawling on the ground like a common bug. She lifted her head and returned his gaze. Eyes that usually seemed to condemn her for her inaction during his Fall now held compassion for her plight. For some reason, she felt unworthy of it, but she buried that sensation deep beneath the massive Ego she very well knew she had. That aspect of hers took a battering during her stay in a prison created by her former husband and guarded by her own son, but it was still sizable enough to aid her in suppressing unwanted emotions.

Her son's actions were a mystery for her, but at least he hadn't immediately resealed her. She took that much as a win. He also hadn't addressed her yet. He was just looking at her in that way that made her uncomfortable with the situation in a way that had nothing to do with her failed prison break. Finally, she couldn't take the silence any longer. With a glacial bite to her voice that wasn't entirely intentional, she asked him.

"What now?"

He took his time with the answer, which in and of itself made her some hope. If he wanted to reseal her he would have done so by now, right? It wasn't even that challenging. Behind them, the Seal was already repairing itself slowly. All he needed to do was supply it with some energy to rapidly restore it. If she was close enough, she would be pulled back into her prison with nary a chance to fight back. When he finally answered, it was after a weighty sigh that echoed through the corridor. His eyes once again seemed to exude sympathy, and this time she had the capacity to acknowledge it. His voice was as smooth and pleasant to listen to as ever, and without the scorn and pain marring the experience, she appreciated the slight relaxation it brought her. The sensation did not hold up for long. Only the time it took to register his words.

"Look. I do not want to keep you confined but with your endless disdain for all mortal races, I also cannot in good conscience let you roam free."

She glanced at him with ever-growing apprehension. What else was there? It was either the one or the other choice. There was no in between. His half-lidded stare was heavier than she expected. He seemed to be tired of the halting way this 'conversation' was going, and if she was entirely honest, so was she. Nevertheless, it was good to see her son again. She didn't expect the spark of fondness that ignited in her eternal heart at the sight of him. He was her flesh and blood, but he was also her jailer.

She expected to feel a complex blend of rage, betrayal, and motherly affection at the sight of him, but that wasn't the case. Just some of the latter and almost none of the former two. A fair amount of dread ripped through her as well, but that emotion was more inspired by what he represented instead of his person. She also noted that he was far more balanced than she was used to from him. His aura was stable, calm, and strong. It showed signs of both, Infernal Energies and Celestial Ichor blending perfectly into something new, which was the reason why it took her some seconds to even perceive him.

He was dangerous. Even to a being such as her and at full power. Her instincts told her if they were to fight with both of them at the apex of their capabilities, she would have to take him seriously. It was a sobering thought, but one that induced an unexpected joy and pride. He was bound to completely surpass her, and soon. If her calculations were correct, he'd only need some millennia to completely eclipse her. And her ex-husband wasn't much stronger than her. Some vicious glee sneaked into her emotional state at the thought of Him being brought down from His high horse even if she once again had to suffer the indignity of being powerless and confined to that barren room that she grew to hate with a bitter passion. She suppressed it all and answered his statement somewhat bitterly.

"So, you'll renew the seal and that's it, correct? For there is no third possibility. Only those two."

A sardonic smile spread on his lips as he rose elegantly to his feet, telekinetically lifting her to hers and supporting her at the same time. He was certainly imposing, she had to admit. He had a flair for dramatics that he inherited equally from both, her and Him. Combined, that penchant culminated into a talent for setting the scene that was unmatched by either of them.

"Why, not at all my dearest birth giver. When there is no third possibility, one simply has to create it. Let me tell you about a place. A small spot deep in the Regions of Doom where the Powerful have to tread carefully. Where dimensional winds, capable of ripping apart even some of the weaker ascended beings, reign supreme. Deep in that region there exists a dimensional fold where the Veil that covers our home dimension is especially thin. I reckon that with both of our might combined, we should be capable of opening a small rift into the Unknown once you recuperated a bit. You'd be capable of roaming outside of this Cluster of Realities again. You can continue searching for opportunities and reaching higher levels of power. You might even foster a new Universe and treat it better than your children in this one, who knows? What do you say, want to leave this hovel? This unnecessarily cluttered reality?"

The last part was spoken with a clearly sarcastic inflection and the way he spread his arms and shrugged his shoulders expressed his opinion no less clearly, which did cause a small measure of pain in the depths of her heart. She couldn't exactly claim to be an exemplary mother, she knew. The bitterness and pain from being neglected by the man she once loved had invaded all the interactions she had with her children a long time ago. That wasn't all he was hinting at however.

His words also pushed the fact that he didn't at all agree with her opinion on mortals, but that was alright. He was free to adore what she abhorred. He was his own person after all and doing so was his right. That was something she understood far better than her ex. Controlling was a very mild epithet for His... Urges. In the bedroom, she might have been amenable to such things, but His need to have everything under His Will expanded far beyond the limits of their carnal relationship, which was unacceptable. That opinion, and some other conflicts she had with him, earned her a stay in the most restrictive prison ever built.

"Before I send you off, I'd like for you to meet someone. It's only right that you meet your granddaughters before you go on your next great adventure."

That word struck her mentality like a bolt of divine lightning thrown by Raziel herself. 'Granddaughters...? As in, more than one?...' Her shocked state must have been apparent as he elaborated without prompting. The smile on his lips reminded her of times where his radiance was only outshone by the Lord Himself. He seemed so content that a faint pang of longing echoed through her chest. She admittedly missed those easier times where things were harmonious and pleasant.

"Enid came into my life like a hurricane. She prayed to me. Not to the Devil, or to who I once was, but to me. I have no idea how she circumvented my Seal, but she did. And it was the best thing to ever happen to me. Dinah suffered under the machinations of Father and came out stronger for it. Her tenacity is awe-inspiring. Trixie stumbled into my life by befriending Enid. She was quickly adopted as her sister and somehow, I ended up caring for her far more than I expected."

The endless love he exuded in his reminiscence was so startling that she initially missed the indication that her apparent granddaughters seemed to be a mortal. Bile began to rise into her throat when she finally caught on. Before her face had even the hint of a chance to grimace in distaste however, her son's infernal gaze fell upon her with an intensity as of yet unseen. The surrounding area heated up not in temperature but conceptually. When he spoke, it was in a deceptively quiet manner, but no one would miss the Promise in his voice.

"Careful now, Mother. One unkind word. One grimace. Even a single scowl. If you show in any way even a hint of distaste towards my daughters, I will do my very best to utterly and permanently ruin your existence."

She believed him. For his children, he'd go to war. She sensed how the very dimension they resided in seemed to support him like an eager puppy, clearly approving of his decision. This version of her son was one she wouldn't want to have on the opposite side of a battlefield. Slowly, she nodded. Even if she disliked them, she had enough self-control to not let it show. Her instincts told her not to turn her eyes away from his. Rarely had she felt this intimidated by anyone and the fact that it was her own son who had that kind of presence woke a peculiar sense of pride in her.

Suddenly, he raised his arm and chopped it down in a decisive and final manner without moving his gaze, making her flinch. She recovered from the startling gesture when she felt her rate of recovery more than triple in pace. Quickly, she realised that he removed the tether that kept her linked to the still-selfrepairing Seal. Her eyes widened slightly before she threw him a thankful gaze. This would ease her existence some.

"Just give my children a fair chance. You might end up surprised by them. They are so very special."

She could stomach spending some time among lower lifeforms if it meant spending time with her son. After all, what was the worst that could happen? She ignored the slight shiver that went down her back. After spending so much time in a prison cell, it was only natural that she'd feel a hint of apprehension when she finally left.

Chapter Text

~The Goddess of Creation~

She didn't have much of an opinion on those mortal strays her son decided to adopt. Well, besides the usual disdain that was. She expected less than nothing from them. Mortals were of very little worth and even that minuscule amount of use they had was so very fleeting in nature. Her son, who freed her from the chains binding her to her prison, would have been cross with her if she refused to interact with the creatures he took in, however. Which was why she found herself in the current situation.

Enid Morningstar, her first... granddaughter, was sitting in her lap, babbling away at her with the brightest smile on her little face. The Goddess wasn't focused on her physical form though. No, she was looking deeper. 'How is this even possible?...' She asked herself, and not for the first time. Lucifer, as she called him besides son out of respect for his choice to shed his former name, explained that he accidentally adopted her by binding them together with an Enochian Oath.

That much, she could have accepted as possible, especially with her son's unfortunate penchant for impulsive behaviour. The language of the Divine had an innate quality to it that made it exceedingly hard to master, requiring an exceptionally powerful Soul and constitution to even attempt it. The tradeoff was the fact that this language was Power, plain and simple. Every word of it invoked primal forces beyond mortal comprehension. As such, Oaths spoken in it were unequivocally binding. That wasn't what was so befuddling for her though.

No, the reason for her confusion was the fact that this little girl apparently was a fledgling Celestial. She could see it, nestled in her Soul. In there was a unique Grace not created by her ex-husband. It was gestating purely on the basis of the girl's admittedly powerful Soul in combination with the connection she shared with her son, and that was entirely unfathomable to her. She thought her mortal, and right now, she was. But she wouldn't stay that way. The girl did something thought impossible and initiated a True Ascension. She used that infusion of Divine energy into her core to elevate her immortal Soul. And the strangest part of it? She didn't even know she was doing it. Accepting Lucifer's Grace into the deepest depths of her Soul was entirely instinctual. 'Since when is becoming a higher being so easy?' She asked herself thoughtfully without an answer in sight.

Ascensions in general were possible, but when talking about them, the usual meaning was to push one's race to its limits and then take a step beyond. Ultimately, the race stayed the same, but the capabilities rose to a new level. Demon to Archdemon, Human to High-Human. Psychic to Esper and so on. This was intrinsically different. The divine was not supposed to be reachable by mortals except for some very rare exceptions. Inheritance, for example. A divine being was capable of choosing a mortal to receive their inheritance by igniting their Divine Soul and funneling the resulting energy into their chosen heir. It usually happened when a divine being grew tired of existing. Immortality could become a curse if one's life was just too long, even for those who were endless from birth. Especially if they spent it alone or lost their significant other.

Another possibility was demigods receiving a domain. Strictly speaking, this was a mortal transcending mortality to reach the divine. It only counted by technicality however since the soul was already half-divine. The difficulty was far less exaggerated in such cases. This girl however... Her Soul took the Light of her son as a spark, and the connection to this dimension as fuel. In a bid to grow more similar to her adoptive parent, she subconsciously pushed herself to become more. The sheer audacity left her speechless. She wanted to be indignant on her son's behalf. To smite her out of existence for the blasphemous actions she committed, instinctive as they were.

But she was very much aware that the Light of the Universe saw it differently. If he truly understood just how impossible such a thing was... He'd explode from the pride he held in his chosen daughter. And there was another matter. The Light that connected them, the spark that was nestled into her Soul. It looked... Happy. Glad to be used in such a way. As righteous her anger would be, she had no right to it if all those directly involved were happy with the situation. As such, she was confused on what to think at all.

She was unfamiliar with the considerations echoing through her mind. This situation was a complete conundrum to her. Up until now, all her eyes saw when she looked at mortal races were either beings unworthy of even the slightest hint of her consideration, or useless rabble that was better off not existing at all and she was all too happy to lend a hand in helping them make nonexistence their new reality. Now she beheld a being who forcefully made herself worthy to be considered the daughter of her son, but by doing so she committed a sin she didn't know if she could forgive. 'Do I abhorr her since she is a mortal plundering a glimmer of the Lightbringer's Grace, or do I accept her since she will soon join the ranks of the Celestials, by her own effort no less, just to make my son proud?' This was the question that echoed through her mental space, and it introduced a vulnerability into her world view. It was a dichotomy not easily resolved.

Even if she did ascend, she still started out as a mortal. An inferior race not worthy of Divinity. And additionally, the mortal races were among the chief reasons their family splintered as violently as it did. Was she capable of forgiving such an origin? Wordlessly, she glanced into those bright eyes, filled with unconditional affection. 'Her Soul's attribute... Adaption? No... similar, but not quite. Is it... Acceptance?' that seemed to be correct. And it would explain much of her behaviour. The girl learned that she was her father's mother and immediately latched onto her, calling her grandma of all things. Strangely, she wasn't as opposed to that term as she thought she would be.

Ever since her son left this audacious child in her care, the little girl had nattered away about anything and everything. From her time in an institution called 'school' over the people she met all the way to the hounds her uncle Tauron reared. She had much to say, and nothing of it was negative in nature. Altogether, she seemed to be a bundle of joy. Even her Soul, though it was slightly marred by hardships, was clear, allowing her son's light to glimmer brightly and merrily within. Admittedly, it was surprisingly pleasant to look at for one of mortal origin.

Listening to her was strangely calming. Like sitting by a creek and watching it flow steadily and gently. The soft affection the colourful creature seemed to exude simply because she was Lucifer's mother made it very hard to dislike the girl despite her shortcoming and subconsciously blasphemous actions, and her bright attitude coupled with her extraordinarily extroverted personality increased the difficulty even further. The girl reminded her of a very young Samael if she was entirely honest. She could see the same innocent curiosity in her, and the same endearing motor mouth. But most of all, it was the eyes. They held that very same soft glow that made her feel a warm and fuzzy sensation in her chest.

She tried to hate her for the things she represented and the things she did. The fleeting presence of mortality. The fickle and treacherous nature of humanity. The audacity to rob a fragment of her son's precious Grace. And, of course, the inordinately excessive way they monopolised her ex-husband's attention. She truly did try. But she failed spectacularly. It didn't take long until she was engrossed in the tiny one's words and found herself smiling (smiling!) at her... She stopped herself and pondered for a moment, sinking into her mind once again.

'If this continues, I might grow fond of this creature...' She thought to herself with complicated feelings warring within her. Was that possibility a bad thing? She was of a mortal race. One of those her ex-husband found particularly interesting, even. Even if she put aside all the other reasons she had to detest her, how could she possibly allow herself to accept this girl who was a bit too fond of colours as a part of her family? 'Why am I even thinking about it? Should my decision not already be carved in stone? Why am I hesitating? Is my will truly so weak that it cannot contend with a girl who has not even finished living her first decade yet?'

No answer was to be found in her mind and when she resurfaced, she found the curious eyes of her Morningstar's Morningstar gleaming at her. She had stopped her recounting for the moment and seemed to be more interested in keeping eye-contact. She felt as if she couldn't look away from those sky-blue orbs. Emotions and sensations sparked here and there in those unfathomably emotive windows to the child's deepest core. It wasn't her will that was weak, she realised. The girl was simply that charismatic and adorable. With a small sigh, she asked.

"Why have you stopped telling your tale, little one? It was not yet finished and a Morningstar does not leave things incomplete."

She didn't even think when choosing her words and only afterwards did she understand their weight. The implication of acknowledging her as a part of the Morningstar family. The chosen name and title of her son. The girl apparently understood at least to some extent the deeper meaning of her words because a truly radiant smile flashed over her lips for a split-second before she answered her question with a bright demeanour.

"You were distracted, grandma. Dad has the same eyes sometimes. As if he is looking at me but not really. I always pause for a moment until he comes back when he's like that."

A faint sense of melancholia and fondness spread through her like light mist dispersing on an early summer morning, leaving behind clear drops of dew on tender leaves and buds. The sense of closeness that came from the simple fact that her son retained some of her habits still... it was far more profound than she expected. The smile that wanted to appear on her lips faltered before fading away without ever truly forming. In tandem, the light in her eyes dimmed as she knew she didn't deserve those feelings. The young Morningstar seemed to sense her sudden mood swing and it caused her to frown.

"You're sad. Why?"

She asked, innocent curiosity reverberating through her words, coupled with a faint willingness to share the burden. How had she recognised her state of mind so astutely? 'No matter.' The Goddess decided as she pondered over the question. Why was she sad? She knew well why. But should she answer the question? Did she want to offer up a vulnerable moment to the child who was quickly growing on her despite her misgivings? Surprisingly, the answer was yes. She wanted to do just that. So she searched for the words, and told them to the child in her lap.

"I may be the mother of your father, but I was not at all a capable one. I was, mayhaps, acceptable once upon a time, but I grew bitter and dismissive over the millennia. My ability to care for my children withered away under the lack of attention from their Father and his dismissive nature transformed my love until it was buried beneath a sense of detachment and scorn. I do regret many of my actions towards them. I never stopped loving my children for they are my flesh and blood, but I forgot how to actualise my emotions and once I realised just how bad it had gotten, it was too late. I fear our relationships may have already deteriorated too far to salvage our bonds."

Surprisingly, the girl shook her head firmly with nary a pause. Determination along with a fierce defiance shone through the veil of manifold emotions that was constantly present in her eyes. With some steel in her voice, she articulated her opinion. And what an opinion it was.

"You are alive and so are my dad, my aunties, and my uncles. As long as that's the case, things can get better. I was desperate for someone who'd listen, but I was certain I had no chance to find anyone from the confines of my room. But then I prayed to dad and he came to get me. My life went boom and suddenly everything was better. Now dad's gotten you out too so your life will be better too, obviously. Also, you regret the way you acted and want to change things. That's more than most can say about themselves."

She shrugged with a slightly wry smile as she tilted her head. In her eyes, there was some understanding that went far beyond what she should have been capable of with those very few years she lived. Were children supposed to be so wise? When she asked how she could possibly understand, an overwhelming amount of sympathy and the same understanding she perceived before sparked to life in the girl's eyes.

"I know what it's like to be alone. And I know you do too. I can see it. I didn't like it. No, that's not true. I hated it. And you were alone far far longer than me, even before you were incarcerated, right? So you must hate it even more than me. But now you don't have to live in solitude anymore. You have me and I won't ever leave you if you don't want me to! And dad too, I think... He won't forget, he's too smart for that, you see. But he is on his way to forgiveness. He wouldn't have left me with you if he didn't trust you at least a teensy little bit. And if he trusts you, so do I. You are my grandma so you'll be loved lots and lots by me and many others. I just know it!"

Her granddaughter's declaration was made with such an uncompromising certainty that she failed to react for a long moment when the girl shifted in her lap and hugged her.

"Sometimes, we just need a hug..."

The girl whispered tenderly, and tentatively, the Goddess raised her arms and returned the affectionate gesture. How long had it been since she embraced anyone? Or had received affection in such a way for that matter? Slowly, a tight knot in her heart that she wasn't even aware of loosened just slightly. Her body relaxed as the little girl's warm breath ghosted over her skin and the Goddess leaned her head slightly against the top of Enid's when she nuzzled into the hollow of her neck. A surprisingly profound sense of peace overwhelmed her as she accepted the burgeoning affection she felt for the surprisingly wise child in her arms. In turn, she felt herself included in that hint of Divinity that went about, merrily connecting people to her Granddaughter.

As the link was established, she began to understand. This granddaughter of hers was profoundly terrified of being alone. So much so that her Soul developed an inclination towards togetherness. A sensation she could emphasise with. It was by no means an enforced bond. Not at all. Her feeble Soul merely reached out instinctively with a hopeful offer of companionship and affection, akin to a very weak pack bond. She expected nothing in return for this gift. The simple feeling of being accepted was enough for her. But how could one possibly accept her without a measure of goodwill?

As soon as the Link was formed, it was already too late. It meant that she had already found her place in the recipient's heart, providing them with an illusive sense of warmth from the inside. Only greater fondness had a chance to develop from there. A wholesomely devious way to ensure that she would never have to feel this crushing sense of emptiness that traumatised her so deeply ever again. 'Divine Charisma, huh...' She thought to herself with faint amusement as she failed to register the single glowing tear that escaped her left eye. but even if she'd noticed, she wouldn't have cared much.

Unbeknownst to her, the Lord of Hell witnessed the entire interaction with a satisfied gleam in his eyes. Undiscovered beneath a ward that synchronised his presence with the Dimension he ruled, he rejoiced in a plan working even better than predicted. He knew that throwing Enid at this problem would yield quick and drastic results. And as always, she did not disappoint him, not that she was capable of that. He would always be proud of his little Morningstar.

Later, the Goddess would lay her eyes upon the second child of her son and feel her worldview once again upended by what had entered her point of view. A seamless fusion of opposing forces, mixing and mingling so thoroughly that they were indistinguishable from each other, forming a chimaeric creature that should have never existed by any sense of logic, and yet it did. In turn, she would be scrutinised with an unreadable gaze by the unconventional oracle before the child would sigh, shake her head, and toddle away to do whatever she was in the process of doing, leaving a creational deity behind who was suffering an identity crisis with empty eyes.

~Dinah~

'Studiously, I am observing the softly humming rainbow wolf in her natural habitat. In front of her, a monochrome raven has made its nest. The avian creature graciously accepts the affectionate grooming of the canine. Clearly, they are in the process of creating a symbiotic relationship. Truly, nature once again proves that the most unlikely bedfellows can create the most wondrous of bonds.'

The young oracle had her half-lidded eyes on her sister, who was in the process of combing through Wednesday's admittedly beautiful and luscious hair, and amused herself with her inner commentary. The monochrome girl was reading. And releasing near imperceptible sighs from time to time. It was clear to those with a practiced eye that she was enjoying the attention just as much as Enid enjoyed giving it. And she wasn't the only one who was drawing amusement from the scene. A quick side-eye to Thing showed her that he caught her surreptitious gestures narrating her inner commentary and was doing his best to not burst out in hysterics.

'Those two are so lost. I hope your sister knows what she's in for here. Once you are the target of an Addams, they'll pursue you to the end of the world and beyond.'

She was curious and read up on their family in uncle Tauron's library. There were two main branches, one situated on Earth, and one in Hell. Gomez Addams was the Patriarch of the former while his brother Darion stood at the front of Hell's branch. Most of the literature she found focussed on Hell's branch and their achievements were as extensive as they were gruesome. That said, they never went out of their way to attack anyone, accepting all ways of life equally. They only ever became active once they or their allies were wronged. Once they were roused, things usually escalated spectacularly though. They were obsessive, creative and exceedingly meticulous when they dealt with their enemies. For a clan of somewhat human origin, they enjoyed quite a bit of respect in Hell.

Not just because they were fearsome, but also because they were almost ridiculously inclusive. The family tree that she'd found was... Something else. It was expansive in all directions and there were creatures, demons, humans, and all kinds of outcasts represented. Beings she hadn't even heard of and had to research to even have a reference what she was looking at were common on there and her curiosity lead her down far too many rabbit holes to count. That was where Thing found her. He then signed excitedly that he'd found the cutest little thing and that she had to see it. He was correct. Enid contentedly combing the usually twin tailed mane of Wednesday while she read a book named 'How to get people to open up to you. A Beginner's Guide to Vivisection.' was as morbid as it was adorable.

'You think Enid is in for it? Wednesday won't even know what hit her. That rainbow's personality is as chaotic as her wardrobe. She's like a natural disaster, only you don't fear her. You simply accept that she is now part of your life since once she's attached, she won't let go. And she's capable of winning people over in two minutes or less. She didn't even meet Lucifer before he began to adore her. Maze, Lucy's right hand, was caught within minutes too from what I can read out of the stories they're telling, and Amenadiel, the Archangel of Time, was converted in a single conversation. She is ridiculously charismatic. Ever since she talked to the Goddess of all Creation, the chances of her staying in our dimension have increased from 4% to 72%. And they spent what, maybe two hours together?'

She paused in her signing, just slightly astonished about it all now that she thought a bit deeper about it. She quickly overcame her surprise however. It took her only one cuddle session to open up to her after all. One had to experience the Force that was Enid Morningstar to truly understand just how magnetic she was.

'Can you imagine how absolutely persuasive you have to be to change those eternal beings in what amounts to the blink of an eye for them? And the best part of it all? It's completely unintentional. She's just unabashedly herself and accepts others for who they are. She doesn't judge. She just collects you, loves you, and makes you want to be the best version of yourself simply by association.'

She gave him a small smile to accentuate the fondness and sisterly affection she held for the chaotic rainbow who was surprisingly silent right now. The only sound she released was her occasional humming. She recognised it as the Song Amenadiel sung to them, though as with everyone who tried themselves on it, her's was permeated by different sensations. It was harmonious and peaceful, which stood in slight contrast to her usual nature, but not as much as one would suspect. The inclusive nature she showed to everyone who met her shone through too. And it wasn't as if those were the only sensations she woke in those who were listening. There was her natural liveliness as well as a fierce protectiveness that showed that even though she disliked senseless violence, she would meet threats to hers head-on.

A soft and somewhat unintended smile spread her lips for a moment before she retook control of her facial muscles and shifted the emotions to the inside. Included in that shift was the flare of amusement when she saw Wednesday close her eyes and drift backwards. The relaxation brought upon by Enid's careful and gentle grooming in combination with the safe environment, the Song that spoke of Harmony, Acceptance, Inclusiveness, and Violence, and the burgeoning trust the girl had in all those presents were enough to lull her to sleep.

The amusement faded and made space for tenderness when she watched Enid's eyes soften. She caught her and seamlessly transitioned her posture in such a natural way that she didn't wake when her head hit Enid's lap. She then continued to softly massage the gothy brat's scalp with her claws slightly extended. Thing had procured a mobile phone from somewhere and was now fiddling with it, presumably to capture the moment, but he froze when Enid's golden eyes fell upon him. They glowed ominously when she addressed the severed appendage.

"You wouldn't be planning to exploit Wednesday's show of vulnerability and trust right in front of me, would you?"

The tone of her voice was deceptively mild, but Dinah could feel the underlying threat. If she didn't have supreme control over herself, she might have flinched. As it was, she just sent the much more intense version of her sister a light smirk that was answered by a flash of her elongated canines. The gesture was meant as a reassuring smile, she knew, but the effect was far more intimidating than her usual ones. She didn't feel even the slightest sense of unease though. This was Enid. Even if she temporarily changed her eye colour and grew teeth fit to rip out the throat of a grown man in less than a second.

'Uhm, no?'

Dinah snorted at the sneaky little hand. His signed denial was followed by shifting the phone into a better position. As for why Enid understood him, it was for a reason similar to Dinah's own. She had a female cousin who was both, deaf and mute from birth. She wanted to communicate with her, so she learned the language from the cousin's mother.

"That would be far more convincing if you didn't point the phone's camera directly at us, you know?"

She smiled in a way Dinah could only describe as sweetly savage, though with how her eyes narrowed, it clearly leaned towards the latter descriptor. He seemed to struggle with himself for a moment, searching out Dinah's opinion, and only when she shook her head slightly did he put the phone away with a defeated air.

'I guess there's always next time. You'll fit well with us Addamses, that's for sure. I demand compensation for the missed blackmail material though. I heard from Dinah that you are learning how to do nail art. Wanna try on mine?'

The gold faded into amber and then into a bright electric blue as her lips stretched into an excited smile that was far less unnerving than her earlier one. Not that she felt troubled in any way. She knew Enid would defend her just as fiercely and that she wouldn't just flip without a reason. With lazy eyes, she continued to watch their conversation over Enid's newest hobby. From what she knew, she got into it when their pa- when Lucifer let her paint his nails while he did hers. Rumours had it that Amenadiel's toe nails were still as red as Enid had left them and that he was quite proud of the fact that he managed to preserve the colour for so long.

Slowly, she let the hushed conversation and the relaxing atmosphere lull her into a nap. She could always use some hours of sleep.

~Lucifer~

He leaned against the wall beside the window of Tauron's study, observing the other two inhabitants of the room. His Mother and his Brother. Amenadiel not-so-surprisingly rushed to him in a hurry when he felt the part of the Seal shatter that was held together by a hint of his Authority over Time. Lucifer sent Tauron out of his own office to have a private space to talk, and the man agreed without much reluctance. What followed was a frantic explanation from his brother coupled with some pushy urging to check up on Mother's prison. When the woman walked into the room with an almost haughty air to herself, his eyes bulged out. It spoke well of his maturity that he agreed to have a mature conversation about the situation before forming an opinion. It didn't stop him from sending wary glances towards her, but she largely ignored them, knowing that acknowledging his distrust wouldn't help. He pushed himself away from the wall and drew the attention of the other two onto himself.

"So, let's get this little Family Reunion started, shall we? Let me start by saying that no matter what you say, I will not subject our Mother to this kind of isolative torment anymore, Amenadiel. We both have gotten a bit of an insight just how bad that can be for a person and I would feel like scum for putting her through an experience like that when I went through much trouble to help Enid deal with the aftermath of her own experiences."

He seemed reluctant for a moment before wordlessly leaning backwards with a stoic expression on his face. Lucifer sighed and explained himself further.

"Isolation is never a good thing. Especially since she hasn't done anything to deserve quite as harsh a punishment as she received."

Indignation pushed onto Amenadiel's face at his words, and not even the sharp glance he threw him could stop him from surging to his feet.

"She doesn't deserve this?! Who was the cause for so many disasters on earth?! Who has shaken continents and sent hurricanes to lay waste to civilization?! She is so guilty, it's damning beyond measure!"

Mother's temper flared and she retorted sharply with the authority of a bona fide Creation level God behind her words. The air sparked, as did her eyes when they narrowed. She wasn't completely recovered just yet, but she was by no means a pushover.

"Pah. As if I'd have bothered actively hindering those bumbling fools! They were still playing with sticks and stones when we... quarrelled. Without some kind of divine intervention, they wouldn't have developed as they did. Prometheus, that moronic individual, was the one to lay the groundwork for their civilizations. What you call as such wasn't even worth mentioning. Your dear old Father has just as much a temper as I do, and he really disliked me questioning his methods and priorities. One word gave birth to another and soon, what they call Pangaea today was split apart. And wasn't it for the better after all? Humanity has proven often enough that living in close proximity to each other causes nothing but endless strife. They caused far more deaths themselves than either of us."

She sniffed and turned her head away as she crossed her arms in front of her chest, displaying her irritable mood splendidly. Lucifer nodded sedately with a languid smile on his lips, not rising to their tempers. Amenadiel saw more than most of the devastation their parents caused in their fights, and it left an indelible mark on him. It was understandable that the thought of them clashing yet again caused him untold amounts of distress. That, and he was always more of a Papa's boy. Lucifer intervened with a slight placating gesture.

"While your concerns are valid and your words certainly are not incorrect, she was never alone in those destructive rampages as she rightfully claimed. And neither did she initiate them beyond demanding our Father to pay attention to his family instead of his 'pet project' as she began to call the beginnings of humanity. Those disasters were nothing more than a side effect of their tempers getting away from them and she certainly wasn't the only one to shake continents and lay waste to civilizations as you put so eloquently. It was a team effort if you will."

He sent him a sharp and sardonic smile that did much to take the wind from Amenadiel's sails. His brows were still drawn and the muscles in his jaw jumped as he clenched his teeth and fists. His mood was thunderous but he had no words to refute him. Everything they said was true after all. If Amenadiel had paid as much attention as Lucifer did, he would have noticed the fleeting expression of guilt hush over their Mother's face before it disappeared behind her cold façade again. 'Interesting...' he mused as he put the knowledge that even just one session with their little wonder Enid was already enough to lay the base for acceptance in their Mother to the back of his mind for later use. With a sigh expressing some of his frustration, he continued.

"I'm not saying you should forgive and forget, Amy. In fact, please do hold her accountable. But do not search for blame only in her when Father is just as guilty. Treating them so differently simply isn't fair and if we truly look into it, she does not bear the lion's share of the blame. At least not in my opinion. The reason why things got as bad as they were before my Rebellion was a severe lack of communication. And even though the way she went about it wasn't the best, Mother did try to solve the problem. Father simply wasn't open to it at all. Let's not continue this particular family tradition."

Reluctantly, the man stared into Lucifer's eyes before deflating and looking away. He acknowledged the point, but didn't want to verbalise it. Which was fine. It would take time to put his mind around the fact that their Father wasn't the perfect paragon of virtue that he was styled up to be. He was the most loyal son, and as such, his ability to deny flaws in the man he admired was of supreme quality. Letting the point fade to the background, he continued.

"Her prison was in the sixth layer. Time flows glacially slow down there as you know. And Father used your involvement in the seal to further affect the flow on the inside. The time dilation inside of her prison fluctuated rather wildly but it was never below a factor of 1000 if compared to the first circle. You know as well as me how long she was sealed from our perspective. Can you imagine this kind of endless desolate isolation? How callous is this punishment to leave her powerless and alone in an environment bereft of even basic comforts for so long? Only recently did I think about it and it made me feel sick to my celestial bones. I cannot subject anyone to this treatment, least of all my Mother."

Uncertainty and guilt were warring with his dedication to duty. Slowly, he turned his gaze towards Mother, who had gone rigid at the mention of the trials she underwent. It was clear that she wasn't over it by a long shot but she dealt admirably and pushed down the onset of panic with the monstrous amount of willpower she cultivated in that prison. Her self-control was beyond impressive. Not impressive enough to hide all signs from Amenadiel though. And the fact that she tried only drove home how much this affected her. He fell back into his seat and seemed sapped of all energy for a long moment before looking up into his eyes. Lucifer found acceptance in it. A first step. Now, he had to deliver the solution to his dilemma.

"She was punished enough in my opinion. Which is why I endeavoured to find a solution that would hopefully make everyone content."

He explained the same thing to him that he already mentioned to their Mother, and in some more detail this time. And while there was some curiosity in her eyes, he was surprised that he also found reluctance. Enid's pull was even stronger than he expected. As always, she surpassed his expectations without even knowing. Or trying, really. Nevertheless, some distance would do her well. He would leave her with means to contact them though. Once she established a realm outside, connecting their reality with her own would be a fairly uncomplicated matter. As for possible interference from above? The Infernal Realms listened to him and no one else.

After mentioning all the relevant details, he left the two of them to tentatively reconnect. Amenadiel was far more sensible now than he once was, so there was close to no danger in leaving them to themselves. Maybe resolving her differences with her oldest Son would help her solidify her form. She was a curious case in that regard. Divine beings were rather variable in their physical representations. They all had a form they were born with but most chose one that was aesthetically pleasing to them, eccentric as it may have been. Angels were more limited, though he wouldn't change himself even if he could. Why change perfection after all? Mother was a genuine Creation Goddess and could take almost any form she desired, but instead she chose to link her physical appearance to her Soul.

And that Soul was in flux. All the upheavals, the uncertainty, and everything that happened to her left her in a state that made her physical appearance malleable. Her body shifted and changed at the drop of a hat, sometimes even with the slightest provocation such as when Enid startled her with a hug in the morning. It was a bit worrying, but he couldn't really do anything about it other than offering her some support and Enid-time. She would maybe profit from some sessions with his future sister-in-law, but he doubted she'd take the offer since she was still rather sceptical about the capabilities of the human race.

It wasn't even her disdain for mortal races that motivated her attitude. She just genuinely couldn't fathom how anyone could possibly become an expert in anything with such few years available to them. To be honest, he had that thought too from time to time. Where she expressed it with disbelief, he felt awe instead. Humans and other races with short lifespans often squeezed every drop of potential out of themselves to reach heights he honestly could only bow in front of. He met many genii of the human race such as Michelangelo, Mozart, and even Farrokh Bulsara. They all had a unique mind and a drive far beyond what was normal. They were among the leading reasons for his fascination with humans and now that his stints into the mortal realm blessed him with three daughters, he was all the more thankful for it.

His thoughts wandered just as his body did and before he really thought about it, he already found himself on his way to visit his daughter's, which inevitably brought him in front of Bergamot. The massive malicious canine didn't immediately recognise him it seemed as he bared his teeth in warning. Lucifer smiled lightly, looked into his eyes, and only softly uttered a single sentence.

"Down, boy."

There was no ill will towards the Alpha in his voice. Only Authority. He just knew that even though those hounds were far more intelligent than most demonic beasts out there, they still adhered to the rule of the strong. If he didn't exert his Will upon them, they wouldn't respect him. This altercation was partly his fault too as he subconsciously used the technique to hide his existence since he wanted to be left alone. The weight of his presence immediately pressed down on Bergamot, and the Alpha became submissive in moments. Lucifer scratched the sizable canine behind his massive ears and whispered.

"I thank you for taking care of my daughters. They enjoy your presence and that of your pack immensely."

With his words, he infused a hint of his fused essence into the demonic beast, stimulating his lineage and pushing it towards awakening. It was an opportunity to shorten the time to reach the next major step on the ladder towards Ascension. He deserved that much at least. Enid had the presence of a very strong Alpha, that much was true. Her characteristics always surfaced when she was in a protective mood and they strengthened every time they became visible. But she was so very young and the usual reaction to another Alpha intruding into one's territory was to fight to the death. He suppressed those instincts and chose to subtly guide her instead.

Of course part of the reason was that he would have a future Alpha of supreme quality to call upon should he or his pack ever be in danger, but most of it was just genuine fondness. And since he allowed his little Morningstar to befriend him and his pack, a little something to help him along was the least he could do. An excited yelp left his snout and he quickly attempted to douse him in ludicrous amounts of spit, only to have his attempt thwarted by a quick flip onto his back.

"Now, I beg you to show some manners please. Gratitude in the form of ruining my suit is entirely undesirable. I lost far too many quality garments to Cherona's sneak attacks. I don't need you to make a habit out of it too, thank you very much."

He chided the Alpha, only to have his side impacted by an affection-seeking missile of colourful doom.

"Dad, you came to visit! Are you here to play? You were busy last week and I really missed you. Why's Bergamot on his back? Are you teaching him a new trick?"

'Ah, my Soul is healing. Please don't you ever change, my precious daughter.' He thought to himself as he engaged in recreational activities with his daughters and their friends. 'Teaching Wednesday some more modern vocabulary may not be the worst of ideas before they relocate.' He mused with a wry smile as he dodged her attempts to eviscerate the Devil. She was talented with her knives, he'd admit that much, but her style was much too rigid still. He'd have to push her a bit to unearth her creativity. Maybe Maze would take in a fourth protégé? Her style would fit his daughter's dark friend quite well.

~Wednesday~

She came to and was immediately alert, though muddled still from sleep. Her body was positioned in the usual way, rigid with her arms crossed above her chest, but the mattress beneath her was far softer than what she was used to, indicating the fact that she was not in her own bed. The events from the evening prior began to filter into her mind and she realised that she had agreed to an event called 'slumber party'. She was supposed to stay overnight in the room of someone else and gossip about various things before falling asleep far too late. At least that was what Enid told her. She had no reference for such things so she tentatively trusted the colourful menace in that regard (and with her life).

Slowly, she opened her eyes. Her inner clock told her that she overslept for about seven minutes, which would have usually been unacceptable. The novel experiences she suffered through the previous evening did provide a substantial excuse however. Enid's hopeful optimism and Dinah's delightfully biting sarcasm provided an impeccable contrast to her own dark, blunt, and bleak outlook on the world. They meshed far better than she had expected and she found socialising with them to be far less torturous than expected. A pity, but at the same time she appreciated the unconditional acceptance she received from both of them. They seamlessly included her, which was something she wasn't used to. Even among demons, she was often regarded as an outcast due to her hybrid nature. The less they'd talk about how humans saw her and her family, the better.

Slowly, she turned her head to her left and then to her right. On both sides, there were girls sleeping with her in the middle, Dinah on the left side, and Enid on the right. The former slept with her back to her, but Enid was turned towards the middle and she couldn't help but observe her relaxed and peaceful facial expression as she slumbered the morning away. Neither had encroached on her territory so to speak. The fact that they adhered to her wishes even in an unconscious state woke a sense of appreciation in her.

Her thoughts wandered to the last evening. She caught a glimpse of what it would be like to be a permanent part of their lives. Watching their interactions with each other, she found them to be close to the point where exchanging a single glance was enough to communicate. For some reason, she felt a faint hint of trepidation when she realised this, but it settled as the evening progressed and their sibling-like relationship crystallised. She was startled to realise that she yearned for a similar yet different connection. Her first instinct was to bury this irrational urge and smother it before it could ever become something more, but then she remembered her conversation with Dinah.

'Emotions are not a weakness and can be used as a kind of strength instead...' She pondered over how that would work. 'Control instead of suppression...' As her mind wandered, it always came back to the girl in her field of vision. Enid. She was Emotion, plain and simple. She personified what Wednesday was supposed to abhorr and circumvent. Somehow, she failed to rouse the former despite her most valiant efforts, and something inside of her strictly refused to even consider the latter. So she was stuck. She certainly couldn't draw back anymore now that she was in her orbit. 'Advancing seems to be the only feasible possibility...' Subconsciously, her eyes drifted to the eyesore of a creature in her bedmate's arms and she found herself overwhelmed by an unexpected and intense bout of jealousy.

This detestable blue equine thing with wings and a rainbow for a mane was allowed to bask in Enid's arms. She blinked. Why would she care? Physical contact was something she neither needed nor craved. Admittedly, having her father's strong arms constrict her like a bear would its victim was a surprisingly pleasant sensation, but she certainly could live without it, should it become necessary. Why then was her imagination feeding her mind with images of Enid's arms around her petite form? Why did she feel unpleasantly cold under silken covers in the first circle of Hell, renowned for being the most 'tropical' of them all? Why was her body drifting towards the prone and peaceful form of a girl she hadn't known for two weeks? Without murderous Intentions even? Alarmed, she found herself unable to resist the pull and soon, her upper arm touched Enid's relaxed hand.

What happened next was a flurry of movement that took her a long moment to untangle. The strange phantastical creature was flung away carelessly and like a strangling vine, Enid's arms snaked around her and pulled her close with an exceedingly strong grip. She was hopelessly constrained, pressed against the taller blonde girl. Her limbs entangled her as if she was prey. Never in her life was she ever overcome from such an intense sensation of relaxation. She felt any and all tension flow from her body as the unnaturally high body temperature of the person trying to fuse them seeped into her. She tried to fight against the relentless pull that forced her eyelids downwards but she lost the battle. Soon, her consciousness began to fade and she failed once again to feel resentment for what was happening. Instead, all she could think of before sleep claimed her was how to make this arrangement permanent.

The next time she woke up with Enid's big, blue, and pleading eyes on her. She was confused for a moment before her own actions, and the thoughts she had before falling into a slumber again, caught up to her. Instantly, her body went rigid and the rainbow's eyes went moist.

"I'm sooo sorry, Wednesday! I promised, but somehow, I still ended up with you in my cuddly clutches! I didn't mean too, can you ever forgive me?"

She blinked, noticing that Enid's presence seemed to increase the frequency with which she performed this action inordinately. With somewhat mechanical movements, she sat up and turned to the desperate wolf. She was moments away from shedding tears and her hands were pressed together in front of her face in a clear gesture of pleading. 'I have to tell her the truth...' She realised. Reluctance and an uncharacteristic semblance of embarrassment warred inside of her with the need to be truthful with the person across her. Her eyes flicked downwards for a short moment as she collected her determination before opening her mouth.

"There is nothing to forgive. It was me who initiated the contact. If anyone has to ask for forgiveness, it would be me."

Incomprehension replaced part of the remorse in Enid's eyes and her head drifted to the side just slightly, making her look like an adorable and confused puppy. For some reason, Wednesday didn't hate it quite as much as she expected to. Seeing no other way to resolve the situation without causing even more unjust amounts of emotional distress, she elaborated with slight reluctance.

"I woke up earlier in the morning and found myself... curious. The unforgiving way with which you strangled that strange equine you took to bed seemed like a memory worth making. Your affectionate nature made me confident that you'd latch onto anyone who dared to touch you in your sleep. I was correct in both assumptions. Never was I constricted quite as effectively as I was in your arms. Not even when Uncle Fester abducted me and brought me to a small cave in Norway where he kept me constrained for two weeks. Falling unconscious in your arms was a surprisingly pleasant experience. An experience I wouldn't mind repeating."

Her eyes continued to widen during her explanation and she blushed in mortification. The wide-eyed look coupled with her rosy countenance woke the need to repeatedly put her in such a state. 'Do I enjoy... teasing her?' She asked herself and decided to answer this question later in private. She tried to include at least an hour of meditative introspection into her daily routine, since she had a hard time recognising some of her feelings, sensations, and urges. It also helped her stay calm and organise her memory, so she was pleased with the addition to her daily habits.

She focused on her conversational partner again, and found her to be quite good at regaining control over herself. Her cheeks were still a hint more pink than usual, but every other sign of her emotional state was back to neutral. She found that to be reasonable. Dealing with emotions as intense as hers surely helped build up one's resistance against their influence after all. She didn't even attempt to hide the outrageous pout on her lips however. That was when the forgotten third inhabitant of the room chimed in.

"You two are ridiculously adorable. You know that, right?"

Wednesday felt her temper flare at that unfounded accusation and threw her a scathing glare. The unusually potent intimidating expression met unimpressed half-lidded eyes. She even had the gall to slowly stretch her lips into a calculated and deliberate lazy grin that raised her hackles even further. She may have admired this girl from the bottom of her black heart, but she wouldn't accept such mocking intent from anyone. Before she could begin to react with lethal force, her actions was preempted by the other accused. With a war cry, she initiated slaughter.

"Now you've done it, Dinah! You've impugned our honour! This means war! Our battle will be legendary!"

She then proved her exceptional physical aptitude by leaping over her head and accurately landing on top of their bedfellow. 'When did she procure a pillow?' She thought absentmindedly as she watched Enid mercilessly batter a laughing brunette with her feathery weapon. It didn't take long until Wednesday suffered a blow from collateral damage, igniting a flame of competitiveness. After a long battle of attrition, fraught with danger and heart-rending betrayal, she found herself victorious with a bound wolf and a lazy seer pouting up at her. The feeling of accomplishment that spread through her was overshadowed by the sense of togetherness that usually only burrowed through her defenses when she was with family. It was... Nice. Not a feeling she usually enjoyed but since both, Enid and Dinah, were the reasons she found it more bearable than usual.

It was at this moment that she remembered the reason she'd searched out the rainbow the previous evening. All she wanted to do was inform her of her plans to relocate to the mortal world. Instead, she was pulled along into the lunacy that was an evening with Enid. By the end of it, her original reason was all but forgotten and she had agreed to join them in their room for the night. She still had no idea why or how. One moment, she was determined to vehemently protest with at least three death threats skillfully woven into her refusal, and the next, her body had betrayed her and she was questioning the meaning of life as she sat in a room far too bright for her sensibilities. At least they were good hosts and turned off all light sources. None of them had any problems seeing in the dark so they were optional anyways.

'Should I tell her now?' She questioned herself but decided against it. She'd surprise her with it on the last day. She'd read that other children appreciated inane things such as surprise parties and the like. It wasn't a party, but it would add permanence to their relationship, which was far more worthy a reason than any other in her opinion. With this decision made, she joined the other two in breaking their fast. The liver and onion broth with demonic eyeball garnish did taste exquisite. Even more so when she learned that it was prepared by the hands of the Devil himself.

~Enid~

'Stay strong and smile. Don't let it get to you. It's just a dimension in between. No need to be sad. Oh, who am I kidding. Of course it's a reason to be sad! She'll be lonely and she'll be sitting in a dark room doing nothing but withering away! I know she enjoys it, but still...' Despondently, she tried to gather her good spirits only to fail miserably since morosity seemed to be ubiquitous at the moment. Determinedly, she slapped herself on both cheeks. Hard.

"Ouch..."

She murmured, but it startled her out of her funk. This was their last day together and she had no idea when they'd meet again. She was determined to make this the best damn day she could! Silently, she threw a dollar into her curse jar. She hadn't said it but thinking it counted too, she reckoned. The girl who seemed to have taken up a permanent residence in her thoughts didn't join them in their room the previous night, so she didn't witness her episode just now. The same couldn't be said about Dinah, as she found out the hard way.

"Seriously, you have to stop being so adorable. Someday, someone will kidnap you because they can't handle it."

She blinked, surprised at something before throwing her a strange look paired with a wry smile.

"Chances for an attempt are around 82%. Please be careful, sis."

The sincere warning stopped her indignation in its tracks and she smiled back, needing no words to express herself. They both knew that their dad would lay waste to the world if anything threatened their safety. He was such an overprotective goof. The warmth that always infused her when she thought of her family managed to balance the ice that appeared in her veins at the thought of leaving Wednesday alone. It was still there, lurking and waiting to ambush her with glacial feelings of despair and abandonment, but for now, she could deal. With her new-found vigor, she charged ahead, meeting most of her important people at breakfast, before stopping to talk with uncle Tauron.

"Can we? Pretty please?"

She asked with her whole Soul thrown behind the request. His stern visage faltered and fell, leaving behind the face of a doting grandparent. With a soft voice, he tried to persuade her.

"Little light, it's too dangerous. Hunting is serious business, especially in the Infernal Realms. You never know if some strange beast hasn't snuck past all defenses and made their home in your woods. There are creatures out there that can avoid even the eyes of an Archangel. They rarely appear in the first circle, but there have been cases where entire hunting parties were obliterated because they were overconfident just to be ambushed by a creature they couldn't handle. Can I not convince you to choose a safer activity?"

His seriousness and the honesty in his words were apparent, but if she wanted to create the best day for Wednesday, this wasn't negotiable. Head strongly, she stared at him. Her stance clearly demonstrated her refusal to budge and he sighed at her defiance.

"You'll take Bergamot and Rose. And I'll only allow it if the Lord accompanies you. Don't fight me on this, if you want to hunt alone, I'll close off the hunting grounds and you'll never enter in this lifetime. If he agrees, I'll give you a list of creatures to hunt along with comparably safe territories. They'll prove to be a challenge but they won't be overwhelmingly strong. That should satisfy you and my little granddaughter, no?"

His eyes sparked with a kind of knowing amusement that made her cheeks burn for some reasons she didn't really fathom as of yet yet before the levity faded into seriousness once more.

"Be warned that I will not help you to convince your father. I do not have such suicidal thoughts just yet. I'll leave that entirely in your capable hands. Now if you'll excuse me? I have to prepare for the inevitable beating I'll receive for allowing this to advance as far as I did. The Lord won't hold back much. It will be a splendid bout!"

She nodded, understanding that her dad liked to spar with the old horny uncle. She watched some of their exchanges with Wednesday and Dinah and they went boom and swish far more often than she could manage. Sometimes, they even went zoom and skadoosh. Watching them was fun and she always learned so much from doing so. Maze would be sooo proud of her when she showed off her newly learned moves! Now she had to convince the Devil that it was a good idea to let her venture into the hunting grounds to subdue dangerous creatures in unknown forests with two hounds, a friend, and a sister. How hard could it be?

----

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Pleeeeeaase?"

"... No."

"Pleeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaase?..."

"... Meet me in two hours at the gates to the forest. If you're late, the entire thing falls flat. Damnit Enid, I told you those eyes are a weapon and to never turn weapons on your family."

'Yes! I wouldn't have done it, but I need to make this day the bestest of the best for Wednesday. Shedding blood during a hard-fought battle will make her sooo happy. I just know it!' She did feel a bit sorry though. Regret festered beneath the elation of having convinced her dad. That didn't stop her from pulling out the curse jar from the satchel around her waist and offering it to him. She suspected he would have a bit of a potty mouth so she came prepared. With a sigh, he threw in a dollar before leaving wordlessly after a short but affectionate hug and a doting glance. Now she just needed to gather supplies and collect her hunting party.

Dinah was quickly found and convinced after a short moment of contemplation. Same with Bergamot and his mate Rose. They wanted to burn off some energy anyways, so strolling through the hunting grounds while watching over them as they had some fun wasn't too bothersome. It took her a while to find Wednesday though. When she did, she had to climb a bit since she hid herself in a small alcove nearly to the top on the outside of the manor, well hidden from view. Only her superior olfactory prowess allowed her to 'sniff' her out.

"Hey! I was searching for you!"

She greeted her friend with a smile as she pulled herself up hovering at the edge. The monochrome girl scrutinised her for a moment before shifting a bit to make some space and offering her a hand. Enid's heart fluttered with elation at the gesture. It felt like a special reward to be trusted enough for such an offer from a private person like Wednesday. And she really liked the feeling she got whenever they touched. It was pleasantly tingly. With care, she grasped the offered hand and pulled herself into the nook. She had to scramble a bit to fit besides Wednesday but she didn't seem to mind the close proximity so Enid settled, falling into the easy quiet of companionship. Lightly pressed against each other, they were content to observe the nearly crimson horizon. Some minutes later, Enid decided the silence was enough and opened the conversation.

"I organised something to do for today, only if you're interested of course."

A small twitch from her side was the only sign of curiosity she received. Enid's lips twitched in triumph at her growing capability to read her. With a conversational tone, she dropped the bomb.

"It took me some convincing, but I managed to get uncle Tauron and my dad to agree to a small hunting trip as long as we are accompanied by dad, Bergamot, and Rose for possible emergencies and stay in the safer areas."

She could almost hear Wednesday's neck crack from how quickly she turned her head. She had told her that she'd tried for two years straight to convince the man to take her into the hunting grounds, but he always refused, saying that she was too young. She yearned to explore the more dangerous parts of the Frump estate but without uncle Tauron's acquiescence, it was an impossibility to enter. Wednesday knew. She tried four times already and the last time, he threatened her with a lifetime ban if she tried again.

"... How? And why?"

The former, she answered with a smug little grin that caused an imaginary eyeroll from the ravenette besides her. (She totally did it in her mind.) The latter question caused her grin to falter and fade, though. The glacial feelings in her veins returned with vengeance and she almost broke out in tears then and there. She managed to suppress it just in time, but something must have been visible on her face since Wednesday's eyes widened a fraction before her brows furrowed.

"Whose heart do I have to puncture?"

She asked with a deadly calm, and Enid blinked at the seeming non sequitur. It took her a moment to follow her train of thought before her lips pulled into a soft smile.

"No one hurt me, silly. I'm just sad that we won't see each other for a while. I'll soon return to the human world and you'll stay here on your lonesome. I... It feels as if I am abandoning you and I absolutely loathe that feeling. I know you like being alone and you aren't truly with so many of your family around, and with Arachne too, who by the way is an absolute cutie pie, like, oh my gosh, the way she clacks her teensy little teeth is sooo adorable..."

Her attempt at diverting Wednesday's attention went so far south, it came back to her all the way from north. What she didn't understand was the flash of horror that seemed included in her realisation. Why would she feel that way? It made no sense. Only it did, kinda.

"My... Apologies. It seems I caused you undue emotional stress and I truly regret being the cause."

For the first time since they met, there was more than just a hint of emotion in her voice. She sounded honestly contrite and self-loathing. Before she could react with panic and placating platitudes, she was silenced by chocolate eyes that drilled into hers with incredible intensity, showing off the remorse she felt.

"I planned to wait until this evening to tell you. I reckoned the impact would be the highest then. But it seems I miscalculated. My grasp on conventional communication and emotional responses is still lacking, so I failed to take into consideration the stress that keeping this piece of information to myself would cause you. I managed to convince my family to relocate. As of now, my father travelled between the realms to fulfill his duties as the Patriarch of the Addams Family. But since we now have a reason to permanently stay in the mortal realm, we will migrate completely. It was only my experience and distaste for humanity as a whole that kept us in the Infernal Realms. With that alleviated by your existence and Dinah's wise council, there is no reason to not follow you back."

She looked at her blankly as something inside of her ignited. The ice in her veins was purged, leaving no trace, and liquid fire replaced it seamlessly. Without even a chance to think, her body moved on its own. Her arms clamped around the petite form of her friend as a relieved laugh pushed past her lips. Belatedly, she realised what she'd done, causing her to let go hastily, only to feel arms behind her back, pulling her close again. The fire that she thought couldn't burn any brighter intensified, yet somehow, it also centered her and made her calm down a bit. Wednesday felt guilty, she realised, but that was just silly. She pulled back a bit, not enough to elicit a reaction from her unlikely cuddle partner but enough to look at her features. There was a faint trace of freckles sprinkled over her cheekbones and the brigde of her nose, and she only now noticed just how long her eyelashes were. Forcing those distracting thoughts away, she gently told her.

"There is no need to feel guilty about this, you know? I absolutely love surprises and it's my own fault that I let this affect me as much as it did. I just didn't want to lose you so quickly after I found you. I dunno why but the thought of it was enough to feel as if something tore me apart from the inside. Now that I know you will be close? I couldn't be more elated even if I tried. We'll be together forever and ever..."

She made a hasty promise, but that didn't mean it had any less than absolute weight in her mind, and her tone of voice communicated it clearly. There was a flash of surprise in Wednesday's usually severe eyes before the corners of her eyes softened just a hint. With a voice unused to such gentleness, she firmly returned the sentiment.

"I agree to this arrangement. We will be miserable together."

No more words were spoken as they weren't needed. Instead, they soaked up each other's presence in an alcove, nestled in the lofty peaks of the Frump Manor. Supported by a deep and unusual sense of attraction, an inseparable friendship was born. As for where this connection would lead? Well, not even Fate was allowed a hand in answering this question.

Chapter Text

~Trixie~

One moment she was sitting on the couch, left alone to watch some cartoons she'd missed over the weekend, and in the next, a flash of Light warned her less than a second before she was lying on her side, enveloped by a familiar warmth that made her instinctively turn and reach out to hug her back. She'd trained quite a bit with auntie Maze, but she had no chance to even react to Enid's speed when she was this riled up. Her sister nuzzled her affectionately and murmured some words that immediately made her smile and tighten the hug.

"Missed you so so much... You have to come with us next time. I have so much to tell you."

Only then did she remember that while it was just a short weekend for her, from Enid's perspective it's been two weeks. The concept was a bit hard to wrap her head around, but she understood Enid's feelings well enough when she imagined how much she'd miss her and Dinah if they were gone for two whole weeks. Not to mention that she missed them over the weekend even though she had loads of fun with her grandma. She found herself always thinking how Enid would have reacted or which sarcastic remark Dinah would have thrown out if she was motivated enough to talk. She even caught herself snarking back a bit, channeling the oracle's dry humour more often than not, much to her grandma's wonder and chagrin.

"Me too..."

She admitted and squeezed her back tightly once before urging her to move so that they could stand up from the ground. Reluctantly, the quirky rainbow's relentless hold eased and Trixie pushed both of them into a seated position and looked at her. The shirt she was wearing had short frilly sleeves in pink and the rest of it was sky-blue with some rainbow glitter haphazardly thrown over the front. Her hair was a bit more wavy and longer than before and her skin was a bit more tanned. Her smile was just as blinding as always. It turned wry in a moment though.

"Dinah missed you too, but not enough to skimp on her sleeping time. You know her priorities."

They shared a quiet moment of amusement before raiding the kitchen cabinet for some more snacks. Trixie also turned off the TV. It would only distract her and listening to Enid's first-hand recounting of her adventures in Hell was far more interesting than some measly cartoons that she could watch later anyways. The bubbly blonde didn't disappoint and began her fantastical story.

"I've made so many new friends and I'll have to introduce you to each and every one of them! There are Bergamot and Rose, as well as their pack. They are a special kind of hellhound. And Tophy! He's my door and he's not very mobile but he can make all kinds of shapes with his wood."

She talked of enormous hounds and talking doors as if they were a common occurrence and Trixie tried to imagine it all with some difficulty, but Enid didn't let up. She continued to feed her imagination with all kinds of strange pictures that seemed more and more impossible. Until she stopped for a moment, prompting Trixie to look at her inquiringly. Her voice was way softer when she continued. It still had that inhereng excitable energy that was purely Enid, but there was something else too. A tender affection that roused Trixie's curiosity. The smile on her face was new too. It was close to the one she had when she talked about her family, but somehow it seemed even more special. Deeper than usual. They were yound and Trixie simply had no other references to categorise that expression, so she shrugged and put it to the back of her mind as she listened.

"I also met a girl. Her name is Wednesday Addams and she's really cool. She fights with knives and she's funny in a weird way and her hair is sooo soft. She dresses all black and she has freckles that are almost invisible! I called them ghost freckles but she didn't like that. She even frowned at me when I tried to convince her of my logic... Her eyes are almost the same colour as dad's, but the way she looks at me makes my skin tingle. I could stare into them the whole day and not grow bored."

That grabbed Trixie's attention like nothing else she'd said so far. While Enid had the ability to concentrate on things she found interesting, looking into another's eyes really couldn't count into that category. It was boring and monotonous. Not at all something she could connect with her mental image of the lively sis who was always dragging others into small adventures no matter where they were.

"She tried to kill me when we first met but we are all good now. She even convinced her family to follow us back to the mortal realm! They are nice too, by the way. Pugsley is a little darling but he wants me to kick him all the time which is a bit weird. Uncle Gomez is always happy and laughing and auntie Morticia can smoke with her whole body! Then there's Thing, who is really just a hand but a living one. He communicates with morse or sign language. He can be a bit cheeky but he doesn't mean it in a bad way, and he promised to let me practice my nail arts on him."

Enid's eyes glowed when she talked about Wednesday and her family. She seemed even happier than usual, which seemed impossible but here they were. 'Well, as she's happy. Wait...'

"She tried to kill you?!"

Enid was startled from her reminiscence by Trixie's incredulous voice, but she only shrugged. While Trixie tried and failed to understand the logic of befriending someone who tried to kill her, Enid seemed to find nothing wrong at all with doing so.

"I mean, yeah. We were in the forest surrounding her family's estate and she didn't know who we were. Things are different in Hell. If there are unknown people in your woods, it's rarely a good thing. I played a bit with her and when she was tired we cleared things up. No harm done. And I got a really good friend out of it so I'm glad she tried!"

She wanted to retort. To tell her that an attempt on her life wasn't a good way to start a friendship. But that universal fact didn't seem to mean much for Enid. If she wanted you to be her friend, sooner or later you would be. That universal truth seemed to have a higher priority compared to the first one, so she chose to stay silent. 'Still...' Her eyes narrowed slightly as she decided. She would have to talk with this Wednesday. Just to make sure she wasn't a bad person. That she was worthy of Enid's friendship. She could be a bit blind to the flaws of others. She always saw the best in people and had a penchant to pull that out of them. Like what happened with Dalton.

He was easy to influence and a pretty simple boy. To be fair, most boys their age were on the simpler side. But he was also steadfast. Once Enid decided that he was a friend, he consistently supported her. And he also started training far more seriously. He could be seen running, swimming, or cycling nearly every day, and he seemed happier than ever. She was glad that he turned around like this because she couldn't stand bullies and it was always a challenge to hold back while dealing with them. As she listened to Enid's stories with a fond smile on her lips, she put everything else to the back of her mind. It's only been a weekend without her nattering for Trixie but even so, she'd missed her fiercely. When Enid finally lost her steam after an hour of excited gesturing, imitated poses, and lively commentary, they sat on the couch in comfortable silence until her colourful sis seemed to remember something. Startled, she jumped from her seat and exclaimed.

"Oh, I almost forgot! I have a surprise for you! Come out, little one. You are safe here and Trixie would never judge you because of your appearance..."

She was confused for a long moment as she watched Enid squat and turn towards her shadow, coaxing it gently. 'Did she lose some marbles in Hell?' Was the first thought that went through her head but her confusion quickly turned into excitement and curiosity when the shadow began to twist and solidify. Slowly, a small head materialised, and then a second one followed. The first one yipped at Enid while the second one looked around curiously while sniffing the air occasionally.

The appearance of those heads was difficult to describe. They seemed a bit deformed but clearly canine in nature. The left one had dark red eyes without pupils. Its left eye was bigger than the right one and the rest of the head followed this trend. Its colour was a light grey with small patches of fur that were a bit darker in colour. The other head was a bit more normal in proportions, but not entirely. Its eyes were of different colours, those being green and orange. This one had pupils, and it was also the one that was glancing around before warily fixing its eyes on Trixie.

Slowly, the entire body left Enid's shadow. It was a small one, no bigger than a regular puppy. It too had some irregular patches of fur while the rest of its skin was left bare. She expected two bodies since there were two heads, but instead, both heads were connected to only one body. While it wasn't big, it had a broad chest like that one Pitbull that their neighbours brought home some weeks ago. She was scared of Rudy at first, but he was friendly and liked to slobber all over her face so she lost the fear rather quickly and regarded the young dog as a friend instead.

This... Dog? looked similar in build and its tail was also pretty short. It seemed to want to move but seemed unsure on its feet with two heads pulling in different directions. Her guess was confirmed when it went down with a startled yelp from two sources. Enid sighed fondly.

"You two have to learn to cooperate. If you always try and do different things, it's not going to work out, you know?"

Her smiling sister then turned around with bright eyes and addressed her.

"We found him on our hunting trip yesterday, and dad said he's probably been abandoned by his pack because he has some mutations. He's supposed to be a two-headed Barghest, but while they do have two heads, they only have one brain directing them. This one's different. Both heads are individuals. They act independently, which can be a good thing, but they are very young and don't know how to coordinate yet. I thought maybe you wanna care for them? They'll be great companions and friends for life once they trust you."

She looked at Trixie as she said this, her eyes shining earnestly. The left head shook off the confusion from falling quicker and whined for a short moment before shaking his head and trying to stand up only to roll over instead because of a lack of cooperation from his other half. It was honestly adorable. She knelt down in front of them and held her hands out like her mom showed her. The two stopped their tugwar of who controlled the body when she did and curiously sniffed at her hands while lying on their back. Quickly, they accepted the new scent and licked at her fingers. She giggled, resisting the urge to pull away. Their tongues tickled, but she didn't want to startle them. Instead, she slowly shifted her hands away from their snouts and gave them a belly rub instead. The stubbly tail began to wag, shifting their hind legs quickly with the movement. It looked as if they were wagging with their whole lower body, and the excited yips they released only added to their cuteness.

'Whelp, I'm in love...' She thought amusedly as she teased and caressed the adorable double dog. As for their strange deformations and patchy fur? It gave them an alien look and she loved aliens. Also, judging doggies by their looks was rude. They were perfect just the way they were. By Enid's smug grin, she already knew what she was thinking. Now they just needed to convince her mom to allow her to take in a demonic dog that would probably become a two-headed monstrous guardian beast. She was sure they'd manage. They did take in the Devil after all. A demonic dog with two heads was downright mundane in comparison.

~Lucifer~

He observed the reunited girls with unabashed indulging fondness. He had teleported them over and Enid shot towards her unsuspecting victim at record speeds. She slowed down in the last possible moment, impacting Beatrice with only around a tenth of her speed. It still nearly carried them off the couch. 'I guess I can greet her once they are done.' He mused. Deciding to let them be for the moment, he closed his eyes for a moment and concentrated before following the pull on his Soul.

As he left his daughters to catch up, he searched out the Detective. His Soul yearned for her presence and he couldn't suppress it any longer. He realised early on during his time in Hell that he would suffer without her close-by, but he managed to distract himself well enough. The prolonged absence had a side-effect. He didn't yet know if he appreciated or abhorred it. It dispelled any and all delusions and excuses he had for his feelings. He already realised long ago that what he felt for her was far more intense than the physical attraction he sensed for his usual conquests. He wasn't particularly picky in terms of appearance but there had to be at least a bit of synergy before he considered bedding them. This went far beyond the realm of compatibility. The more time he spent with her, the more hopeless any attempt to remove her from his thoughts became.

Whenever she smiled at him, his Soul danced and whenever she offered a gesture of affection, he felt as if his entire being was ignited from within. The most puzzling aspect of the entire thing was that he hadn't even tried particularly hard to dance the horizontal tango with her. There was some flirting of course, and they had their fair share of moments, but he hadn't tried to push much further which was very much against his usual routine. And it wasn't just that. He hadn't felt the need to follow the temptations of debauchery and sate hisLust either. He hadn't had an orgy in months and ever since Enid entered his life, he didn't have a single one-night-stand. Strangely, he didn't feel pent up. A strange fulfillment seemed prevalent in him these days. It was a refreshing change of pace if he was being honest. Ever since he inherited the Source of Sin, he needed outlets to let the corruption bleed off. He was far more resistant to the influence than most others, but in time, it still got to him. Ever since he started on the way of Balance thanks to his precious daughters, there was nary an urge that wasn't his own and he was thankful for it.

As for the current situation, if he wanted to pursue something with the Detective, he knew instinctively that he had to let it develop naturally. Whatever 'it' was. Now he suspected something he originally thought impossible. All this time without her left an impression on him that he didn't think would be erased soon. The suspicion transformed into unshakeable certainty when finally, she entered his view. He could feel his entire self relax. His Grace pulsed lightly in tandem with his Infernalis at the sight of her, both settling down and coexisting peacefully. He slowly leaned against the door frame, observing her for a long moment while she put Beatrice's clothes away. She was just doing mundane household chores but to his eyes, it looked more divine than any of his Father's Celestial deeds. With a light smile, he rolled up his sleeves and wordlessly knelt down to help her, wondering when she'd notice him. His amusement grew as she didn't find the suddenly far more cooperative clothes strange at all, focussed entirely on her task.

She didn't question who handed her the garments and simply put them away one by one. Only when they were close to finished did she question the helping hand and stopped rather suddenly. With slightly hesitant movements, she turned her head and looked at him with wide-eyed surprise before a truly radiant smile overtook her features. 'I never needed the ability to breathe anyways...' He thought to himself as her expression of joy at the sight of him robbed it altogether. An anaerobic lifestyle sounded entirely feasible right now. She then continued her dastardly actions and plundered his capacity to think as well when she threw her arms around him and nearly bowled them over before pulling herself close and into his lap for an embrace.

Instinctively, his own arms rounded her and pulled her flush towards him. It delighted him that there was not even a hint of resistance against the movement. For a moment that seemed like an eternity, he felt as if he had transcended. He fused with the universe in such a profound way that it left him entirely at peace in the arms of the woman he loved. Such trivial things had to end however since he had Family to return to. His stint as a transcendent being went largely unnoticed, and he simply smiled as he whispered some words into the ears of the woman in his arms.

"Every single second without you, unable to feel you, to sense you, separated by the dimensions between us, was torturous in ways I wasn't prepared for. I couldn't sense you from through the dimensional folds and it left me in a profound Pit of Despair. I'd rather Fall a second time than to endure such torment even just for a second longer."

The gasp she released against his chest sent an electric shock through his entire body. He just barely managed to suppress the shudder that wanted to shake the foundations of his universe. His heart sung with hope when she didn't leave his embrace but indeed, intensified her efforts to fuse them together. His feelings weren't as one-sided as he'd feared, it seemed. After another long moment at peace, they reluctantly separated, though her arms were still resting on his shoulders, unwilling to let go entirely. Breathing once again posed a challenge when he looked into her bright blue eyes and found a well of open affection in them. 'Was it always there and my fears simply blinded me to it?' He wondered as he observed her shy smile, committing every detail of her divine features to his prodigious memory.

"Do you mean it?"

She whispered as she leaned just slightly closer. He had to fight the impulse to pull her close again and never let go while contemplating why exactly that would be a bad thing. In the end, he decided against that course of action. Instead, he gently cupped her cheeks and leaned his forehead against her's, relishing in the sensation of closeness the affectionate gesture left in him. She shifted just slightly, touching the tips of their noses together, and he felt a delicious heat radiate into his body from the point of contact.

"Every word..."

He promised with a voice heavy from unspoken emotions. Why was the temptation to sweep her up and kiss her senseless so impossibly hard to withstand? He was the Lord of Hell. The Master of Sin. And yet, he was tempted by a single smile, a smoldering look, a mischievous glance. All of those and any other expression of hers for that matter, was enough to push his self-control to its limits and beyond. 'I am a bit slow, aren't I?' He thought to himself while inwardly smiling wrily.

"Did you know that they have a betting pool at work for us two?"

Chloe distracted him with her rather sudden comment and smiled slightly with mischief in her eyes as she pulled back a bit. 'Woman, stop tempting me!' He cried out on the inside while controlling himself to only smile back with the hint of surprise he felt instead of the tempest of emotions that raged through the limited space of his chest. He feared they'd break out and consume them whole, but for now he had them under control, if barely.

"Truly? And pray tell, what are they betting on exactly?"

Her smile transformed into an impish grin that encouraged his inner organs to learn acrobatics entirely unsuited for them. They didn't care for their limitations however. He decided to let them be. He was certain of his capabilities to rearrange them once again in their correct configurations later on. Bravely, he faced her as she answered, her grin not yet faded.

"When we will get together, who will make the first move, where will it happen, when will we kiss the first time and where. You know, those kinds of things. The betting pool is pretty deep by now."

How had he not noticed all of this? Was he so blind? Or did he subconsciously ignore it because seeing it would have encouraged him to confront his feelings before he was ready to do so? 'I will have to make an appointment with Linda. She'll be able to untangle that mess.' He thought to himself before asking, somewhat curiously.

"Oh, and who has won the pot? Did anyone guess correctly? And how exactly is it that you, as an upstanding member of law enforcement, are involved in illegal gambling while I, the Lord of Sin, am not even aware of it?"

His question was answered by a wide-eyed look of faux-innocence that once again almost pushed him past his capacity of control. He could feel every single one of her delicious curves that pressed against him and he was completely certain she was teasing him with the intention to ruin him. That suspicion was only confirmed when she batted her eyelashes and answered with a slight pout while pushing her front against his chest.

"Would I really do something like this? That can't be possible, right? And even if it's true, I must have been led astray surely. Whoever could possibly have such an influence on innocent little me?"

'This woman will be the Death of me...' He realised at once but somehow, he didn't really mind. She'd be his ruin and he'd welcome it with open arms. This was the meaning of love. He just hoped Rae-Rae would be gracious enough to leave him enough years to watch his daughter's grow and thrive. 'Pull yourself together, you hopeless fool.' He scolded himself before answering.

"Certainly not me, my dear. I am merely here to tempt. To lead you into a mistake that feels oh... so... right. The one taking those steps is you. And may I say, I do love the confident way you walk into your demise..."

He couldn't just let her take the lead in their little game. At least not without resisting fiercely. He was the Lord of Sin. If he let her walk all over him, where would he find the courage to face his siblings and his subjects in Hell in the future? No, this would be a give and take, and the way her breath hitched just now in combination with her slightly dilated pupils only proved that he did have a fair amount of influence over her too. Still, her next action came as a surprise, probably for both of them. Because she darted forwards and lightly pressed her lips against his.

There was no lascivious tongue wrestling involved. It was just a chaste touch of their lips. And yet, his world exploded into Flames burning hotter than those of the sun. He froze in utter astonishment as his insides burned to Cinders. She ruined him, completely and utterly. At least she had the decency to perform a coup de grace in the form of a shy look with pink cheeks. He was finished, he knew. And never in his long life was he so glad for anything before, with the exception of his daughters of course. They would always come first, no matter what. She lingered even after the contact ceased and he could feel her pulse quicken as she stared into his eyes, her own filled with breathless delight as she answered his former question.

"Ella told me... And she bet in my name. I wanted to make a move anyways, why not punish those heathens who wanted to use our relationship to enrich themselves?"

Incredulously, he stared at her before a sudden laugh burst out of him. He pulled her form close and embraced her properly. Her sense of humour aligned well with his as he already knew, but this was another level. His thoughts were interrupted when her arms snaked around his neck and she pulled herself up a bit to once again bring their lips together. She then pulled back, looking at him with passionate eyes like a benevolent Goddess. Blessed were those who were deemed worthy to bask in her presence.

"You are simply divine..."

He managed to rasp out, barely holding himself back from ravishing her here and there and everywhere. She smiled softly before leaning forward and laying her head against his chest with a content sigh, smothering the wild Flames of Desire down to a gentle glow. While their feelings were all but confirmed, he could faintly feel that the time to indulge in fleshly pleasures wasn't there yet. Oh, he certainly was capable and willing, but he felt it was safer to leave their physical progression mainly in Chloe's hands. There was only a single relationship in his long long life that had the qualifications to compete with what he felt for the woman in his arms, if only barely, and while the end of it could be called mutual and in good Grace, it still left a bit of a shadow on him. He wouldn't risk a similar ending here.

It was safer to hand himself over to her. Sometimes, one needed to be assertive and strong, but this wasn't one of those moments. Showing confidence and strength may communicate reliability, but showing weakness could be just as nourishing for a relationship. Because those who were strong showed weakness only in front of those they trusted unconditionally. It showed that a bond had progressed and reached a threshold where one's truest self was slowly being exposed. It was a process that was equally terrifying and liberating. At least that was what Linda told him. Well, he had an inkling she was right. She was rather clever after all, or he certainly wouldn't have blessed her union with his brother. No matter how often he bumbled that they hadn't progressed that far yet. Poppycock. She was clearly ready to jump his bones and if he didn't make his move soon, she'd be the one who'd take the first step. He would bet on it, but no one in the know would take that particular sucker's bet. Suddenly, another topic he was supposed to bring up with the woman in his arms came to his mind and he looked at her seriously before asking hesitantly.

"Say, my dearest Detective. How do you feel about dogs? Particularly about owning one?..."

~Maze~

She sighed with clear annoyance as she looked at her father with crossed arms. She didn't let his miserable appearance and the heavy wounds on his body deceive her. This guy was incredibly slippery and hard to deal with. An escape artist and body snatcher par excellence. A single moment of letting down one's guard was enough for him to make his move. Truly disgusting.

"Finally done, old man?"

She asked him rhetorically with more than just a hint of sarcasm seeping into her tone. She was so done with this shit. Ever since their clan rebelled and was shattered by the true might of her Lord, he had instigated small insurrections and fanned the flames of resistance. Telling everyone who would listen that a leader with morals was not something the demonic race needed, especially an outsider. He talked bravely with passion in his voice only to flee at the slightest sign of trouble. He may have been her father, but he certainly failed to do his duty to anyone, the cowars. Lucifer, annoying as he may have been, was a far better father figure than he was.

Of course she'd never tell him that. She'd never hear the end of it. Looking at the worm in front of her, she hardened the Infernal Engine that functioned as her heart. This time, when they returned to Hell, she decided to finally put an end to this farce. He might have been a weak little shit compared to her, but he was good at talking and his hate speeches never lacked attendees. Such was the race of Demons, always ready to hate and instigate violence. It took her almost two weeks to finally track him down and Lucifer and the girls probably already returned to the Mortal Realm, but she had her own means and could join up with them on her own time. That wasn't what bothered her. Instead, what instigated her temper was the fact that she had no time with her little protégés. All her vacation was spent hunting this fucker she was unfortunately related to down. He answered her question with a self-depreciating chuckle.

"Hehe... It seems you've surpassed me entirely... Even your schemes are deeper than mine. Ingratiating yourself to him and destroying his rule from the inside... Ingenious."

'Great. He's not just an irresponsible, anarchistic fuckwad with an ego several times bigger than his capabilities. No, he just has to be delusional too... Well, he thinks I can't do anything too serious to him. Whatever.' Her thoughts concluded with a resigned but final air as she drew in the surrounding chtonic energies to form runes of Infernal power taught to her by Lucifer himself. She suppressed the space around him and branded him with the Mark of the Powerless. A Prisoner's Mark that was capable of suppressing all demons beneath the ascended level.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night. Now, let's get you to your new home. I heard Pandemonium is especially nice this time of the year."

He blinked as he felt the grasp on the Infernal Energies flowing through his blood slip away. With abject terror, he realised that this time, he wouldn't escape. Once he comprehended what she'd done, he frantically started talking.

"Wait! You can't do that to your dear ol' dad, can you? Just let me go! I won't interfere with your plans! I'll just hide away until you snatch away the throne from his grubby fingers! You've become an Archdemon, haven't you? It shouldn't take you too long to take him out, right?"

She stared at him incredulously. She thought he was a cunning man who worked towards something bigger, plotting a major conspiracy with her as a hidden chess piece, but he was just a slippery moron with some means of enforced slavery and escape, wasn't he? 'Well, the least I can do is enlightening him.' She mused before addressing him.

"You think he's at the level of an ascended being? Just how delusional are you? He is so far beyond that, it's not even funny. If he wields his full might against the Demon race, we'd face extinction in less than a week. Far less than that if he includes his allies who are powerhouses in their own right. And that was before he found his daughter and found Balance. Now he's beyond the scope I can confidently claim to grasp despite my ascended status. I don't think he really understands just how powerful he truly is, but should he ever decide that we are unredeemable... It would be our Doom."

Despite the fact that she just delivered such grim news to her undeserving sire, she was smiling. It wasn't even a mocking smirk or one born of battle lust. No, she was simply thinking of her true family and it made her happy. A sensation very much foreign to demonic entities. Her expression only added to the growing horror on the old Demon's face.

"No... No! You have been subverted?! How can it be?! I'm sure I put several safety measures in place! There's no way! You'd be a brain-dead cripple if you'd broken through my suggestions!"

The smile she wore before transformed into her trademarked smug smirk even as her eyes flashed dangerously. She bundled the man who was raving like a lunatic up and put him onto the back of Malloroth while answering conversationally, her tone of voice deceptively benign despite the topic being her own quasi enslavement.

"Oh, that little thing? Once I reached the Ascended level, it was child's play to free myself from your influence. Though, doing so without you noticing took some special measures I admit."

She was downplaying the grief it caused her severely. The whole reason why she frantically worked so hard to reach that state was that she didn't want to betray the man who had given her everything. Back then, she felt there were only two possibilities for her. Breaking through her racial limits, or suicide. And she wasn't particularly fond of the second option. Once upon a time, she resented her... father for what he forced upon her. For the unbearable burden of being a sleeper agent in the court of the Devil himself. But now that he had become nothing more than a sniveling worm in her eyes, she only had some faint pity and disgust left for him. And, paradoxically, a hint of gratitude. Without the grating sensation of being forced into a treacherous state of mind by his Mental Shackle, she wouldn't have been as motivated as she was to reach beyond. She wouldn't have been of as much use to her Lord. And she was certain she wouldn't have been capable of resisting his coercion back when he was agitated beyond belief and wanted his Wings removed. That moment was a pivotal one for her.

Her status as an Archdemon allowed her to withstand his glare and the heat of his Flames. The exceedingly stable and disciplined state of mind she was forced to adapt was what allowed her to glare back at her Lord and confidently state her opinion. All of that just because she had a shitty dad. 'When life gives you lemons 'n all that crap, right?' She joked to herself as she jumped onto Malley's head and sat down cross-legged while ignoring the impressively creative insults spewing from the prisoner's unworthy lips. Malloroth wasn't the fastest hound in her Pack, but he had the most endurance and he was the only one who could make it all the way to the Pandemonium without rest. Once they were back with Lucy, she'd have to pamper the usually quite lazy fellow a bit for the work he put in without complaints. She was a benevolent Mistress after all. 'Most of the time at least.' She thought with a dangerously sharp smirk on her lips.

~Gomez~

With a satisfied smirk, hidden by the smoke of his cigar, he looked at what would soon become their new home. It was perfect. An old cemetery, decrepit from lack of care and disuse, surrounded by marshlands belonging to the descendants of the people who had decided to build a mental health institute in the middle of nowhere, close to the mentioned cemetery. The centerpiece of it all was an eerily imposing building. It was made of depressively grey stone in a merger of the gothic and the Victorian style of architecture. It was supposed to be a 'psychiatric hospital', but it was closed after several hair-raising scandals, ranging from mental and physical abuse of their patients all the way to unauthorised electroshock therapy that led to several deaths. There were even some rumours that they practiced lobotomising their unwilling patients far longer than it was legal. He could feel the resentment that shackled the Souls to this plane of existence. They were furious with the world and they wanted nothing more than vengeance. This place was fertile ground for poltergeists and Wraiths of Vengeance. With a bit of ill luck, it might even attract a Spectre of Agony.

The malice was strong enough to influence even the weather. Despite being situated in California, the sun seemed permanently covered up by heavy clouds. The climate was unique for this state, cold and damp all around the year with winters being bitingly frigid. Only a few rays of sunshine managed to pierce the permanent cloud ceiling every year and the frequency of those days shrank every year. He sighed with emotion before he turned to Arthur Lesley, his estate agent, and told him with eyes shining from excitement.

"I'll take it. How much do you want for both properties? And do you take cash?"

The man seemed a bit off. He was shivering for some reason, and his complexion was almost as white as Wednesday's when she practiced Rigor Mortis. It took him several seconds to register the question and when he did, he turned to Gomez, eyes wide and shining with an incredulous light.

"You... You actually want to buy this forsaken piece of land? Are you crazy? Can't you feel the chill invade your body? Do you not hear the indignant and rage filled cries of the dead?! Even the most sceptical people admit that this place is haunted to kingdom come!"

Gomez released a content sigh, blowing the leftover Cinders he had inhaled from his lungs. The fading glimmer in the air that was heavy with fog and resentments distracted Arthur for a short moment before he turned his attention once again to the Addams Patriarch.

"I know, Arthur. Believe me when I say, I feel it far clearer than you ever could. Isn't it terribly beautiful? The sensation of eyes staring at your back with such potent malice that it makes you shiver. The way the small hairs on your neck erect themselves to warn you that danger is imminent but the illusive nature of spirits leaves you incapable of pinpointing the origin of your impending demise, adding to the terror and mental horror. The way their hostile gaze pierces you and makes you feel naked and vulnerable, as if you were standing in front of a great but invisible beast."

He removed the cigar from his lips, turning fully to the frightful man. The manic glow in his eyes coupled with the friendly but out-of-place grin on his lips paralysed the estate agent, rendering him unable to do anything but listen to his words so entirely out of sync with his demeanor.

"This place is festering magnificently. Malevolent forces converge here. It's a focal point for negativity. It's everything that's wrong with the world. It's unnatural, an affront to almost any belief out there. So many people unjustly died here. So many Souls are craving their rightful retribution only to be denied at every turn, corrupting and twisting them into malignant caricatures of what they once were. It is the perfect place for me and my family. We will settle and we will thrive. So tell me, good man, how much do you want for both of them?"

There was real horror in Arthur's features and his eyes shook under Gomez's friendly but domineering stance. The Addams Patriarch knew they weren't normal by any means so he had expected this reaction to some extent. There was no reason to make this man's life any more complicated than he already did, so he made an offer instead of waiting for the man to gather what little composure he had left.

"Tell you what, old chap. These two plots with every structure on them were listed for 285.000$. To make things go more smoothly, I will double that sum and put a small provision on top. Let's round up to a tidy sum of 600.000$, agreed?"

Now the man was gaping at him for another reason entirely. Gomez almost sighed, but decided to indulge him for a moment more. 'If he loses any more of his composure, he'll decompose on the spot...' He thought to himself rather morbidly. Finally, he seemed to have gathered his spirits, the promise of a substantial payout no doubt aiding him in that endeavour. 'Truly, the most potent motivator of humanity remains greed.' Gomez thought with an inward smile as they went through the paperwork. Soon they had discussed the details and signed the contracts and he was ready to call this place their own as soon as the mills of bureaucracy did their due with the grease of money aiding their usually slow work. He couldn't wait to show it off to his family. Not even Grandmama would have any objections to it, he hoped. 'House will want to place a Seed of Consciousness here. It is no doubt a suitable place to nurture one. With all the resentment that is just aimlessly floating around he'll have a third body in record time.' a fond smile spread on his lips when he thought of his old friend.

House was a Malicious Apparition borne from the tragedy of an aboriginal tribe being slaughtered and buried on the spot without any dignity left. The Totem Gods they worshipped were on the lower end of the divine scale and at that point in time, they were already fading. In a last ditch effort, they put all their unresolved rage into this entity that would soon become a being far beyond any conventional spiritual being because of the faint traces of divinity he had ingested. He wreaked havoc unchecked for a while before he decided to pick a fight with the wrong person. Grandmama Addams. She disciplined him with her ladle when he interrupted her during an important step of her craft. The alchemic concoction didn't survive the encounter so she bound the indignant spirit to the Addams Clan until his service repaid the value of the potion. He was long since freed and assimilated into the family by now and he had calmed down considerably. His consciousness developed over the centuries and by now, he was one of the most intelligent and cherished members of the Clan, as well as one of its fiercest protectors.

'I wonder what he'll think of Enid?' The sudden thought almost had him break out in hysterics. The little sun would shine her light in all his nooks and corners. Nothing would be safe. He'd either love or utterly resent her, and he had an inkling that the latter was an almost impossible emotion to feel towards Lucifer's child. He shook his head with fond amusement as his hand lashed out with blinding speed to catch the little corrosive spirit that had attempted to end his life. Inconceivably, the usually untouchable spiritual matter most spirits consisted of congealed around the almost imperceptible but exceedingly ominous shine his hand was coated in. The crimson glow in his eyes added to his menacing stature and was especially prevalent within the thick fog surrounding them when he turned them to the apparition who was experiencing existential fear for the first time in their unlife. The spirit shivered involuntarily in his grasp as he gently smiled at it.

"Now, none of that little one. Whyever would you attempt to decompose my organs when I just bought this place? How uncouth. At least ask for permission first. As much as I'd appreciate feeling my insides turn to mush, it would be rather counterproductive for my endeavours in the near future, so I fear I have to disappoint you for today. But don't you fear. I urge you to prepare yourself well. I'll find you when I return with my loved ones. We can fool around a bit once that happens."

He let the transparent green glow go and it darted into the shadows to hide from him. 'Ah, the innocence of youth...' He thought to himself as he whistled a jaunty tune while inspecting the grounds. Somehow, the distorted echoes of his whistles echoed far past the limits of the estate, adding another layer of eeriness to the place. The sound added to the frightful legends surrounding this place, and when Gomez heard of them, he only had one thought that flittered through his amused mind. 'Truly, the human imagination is boundless indeed.'

~Wednesday~

With abject horror, she looked at the swathes of children playing in her personal Hellscape. For a moment, she even forgot to feel self-conscious because of her open hair, the different hairstyle chosen specifically for Enid since she commented to liking seeing her without her braids. Happily screeching kids could be seen everywhere and her senses were hopelessly overstimulated by all those bright colours and superfluous people. For the first time in years, her hand searched out the one of her mother. She paid no heed to the slightly startled reaction of her mother and neither did she notice the surprised look followed by three eyes softening while she was looked upon. She was far too preoccupied trying to suppress the instinctive need to recoil away from what she was seeing.

When she was jokingly told by Enid that she lived at the Devil's Playground, she certainly didn't expect... this. No amount of research could have possibly prepared her for such endless sadism. 'He is the Devil indeed. Punishment for the wicked begins on earth it seems.' She thought to herself while regaining complete control. When they engaged in preliminary investigations, they found Lucifer Morningstar to be the founder of Guiding Light. To honour Enid, he created one of the most massive non-governmental organisations in existence. It started out as a playground in the middle of LA and quickly grew beyond the borders of the USA. Close to half a year later, it had founded several projects like schools, playgrounds, and childcare institutions, prevalently in places with little to no places of learning or care for the young. With the help of supernatural construction coupled with Lucifer's no-nonsense attitude in terms of governing his organisation and the surprising competence of his chosen Board of Governors, the speed at which they expanded was nothing short of mind boggling.

The way he utilised his resources and the open and benign use of supernatural abilities did much to take away scrutiny from outcast communities, aiding them in building a positive reputation that counteracted the stigmata that had been common since the middle-ages. At least that was the information she'd gathered from the place called 'internet'. While she still disliked modern contraptions like mobile phones, she grudgingly admitted that the amount of information available in the world wide web was worth the hassle.

"Wednesday?!"

She heard a faint voice calling out her name and instinctively looked up, seeing a window on the top floor had been opened by a certain unmistakable blonde girl with purple highlights in her hair. She was waving wildly before stepping back when she registered that she'd been noticed. Just as Wednesday was wondering what she was planning to do, she spied her sprinting towards the open window. Her eyes widened involuntarily as an irrational stab of worry surged through her when the crazy girl jumped out of the building's top floor. she somersaulted mid air and landed with a heavy thud outside of the outdoor playground, dispersing most of the kinetic energy by shifting it into the lunge towards her goal. Most of the children were looking at her with wide eyes and some fear, but she didn't seem to care, or rather she was incapable of doing so. Her eyes were fixed on Wednesday, who had instinctively opened her arms to receive the affection-guided missile. With a silent release of all the accumulated air in her lungs, she landed on her backside, sliding a bit while Enid nearly crushed her ribcage. If it happened, she'd die without regrets, but it wasn't to be. Instead, the colourful girl released her far too quickly for her tastes, and scrambled backwards while apologising contritely.

"Sorry... It's just, I... missed you."

She murmured and Wednesday's black heart skipped a beat while softening just slightly. For the vivacious girl, it couldn't have been more than two or three days since she left Hell. Wednesday spent a week and a half getting everything in order, and waiting for her father to return and take them to their new home took two more days. She wouldn't admit it readily, but she had missed the searing presence of the girl kneeling in front of her too, and fiercely so. She nearly forgot the surrounding horror as her attention focused solely on the blonde menace. Her attire once again consisted of an unforgivable affront to fashion. A white shirt with clearly self-made rainbow sprinkles all over, clearly adhering to her principles of 'There is no such thing as too much colour.'. Green pants that bordered on the painful spectrum of the light, and blue socks as she apparently neglected putting shoes on, continued the headache-inducing eyesore she called an outfit. A fuzzy soft pink vest that seemed to be made out of sheep wool, reminding her of an especially shaggy and soft carpet, rounded off the epileptic experience.

She pictured herself wearing something like this and immediately regretted having such an imaginative mind. Inadvertently, she shuddered. Only in hindsight did she realise how it must have looked from the outside. Enid's expression shifted towards 'heart-broken', cluing her in how she had taken the gesture. Her heartbeat sped up with anxiety, not knowing how to explain herself and erase this faux pas. She couldn't allow her to misunderstand. The sensation of burning alive in her arms was far too precious to give up because of such a stereotypical misconception. Without actively thinking about it, her hands reached superhuman speed as she snatched Enid's, dispelling the onsets of despair in favour of wonder as she looked down towards their joined hands before looking up at the sound of her voice.

"I very much appreciate your enthusiastic greeting. If you dare think otherwise, I will remove your toenails from your person. Most painfully at that. I am just slightly imbalanced by the surroundings and your colourful garments. The shudder was not a negative reaction to your touch, but to the overly stimulating environment."

She paired her threatening words with a warning glare that made the Sun's face light up. It was not the reaction she had expected, but then again, Enid rarely seemed to conform to common conceptions. Her thoughts came to an abrupt end when Enid used their conjoined hands as leverage to pull her up. Under her guidance, they quickly circled around the massive playground with her mother following along sedately with benign amusement radiating from her. Wednesday would have glared at the woman, but Enid had a peculiar way of monopolising her attention without even trying. When the entrance she was led to entered her view, she was surprised to find several arcane protective barriers in place. Their subtle golden glow illuminated the surroundings for those aware and capable of perceiving such things.

She was always a bit too sensitive to energies and radiation of any kind, leading to a severe case of hypersensitivity. Over time, she was forced to learn to compartmentalise the input of her senses to function somewhat normally, but from time to time, she felt overwhelmed still. Which was why she was surprised to not feel any of the usual aversion at this moment. Despite their power, the protections in front of her didn't induce nausea and debilitating headaches of the worst kind. Instead, Those layers that spanned the entire building felt benevolent. They were intricately woven, seemingly fragile but actually deceptively durable and quite beautiful to look at. She felt an immeasurable curiosity while perceiving the elegant and ever-transforming patterns. The faint feeling of being probed by them wasn't nearly as uncomfortable and invasive as was usually the case with such enchantments. It felt like a gentle caress, coaxing her innermost thoughts out of her. She could tell that it was only her intent that was judged. Should she mean harm to the Heiress or any of the other occupants of this building, the gentle caress would immediately transform into thunderous wrath that would smite her out of existence.

She'd only seen two other protective domes that could rival this one in complexity. Their own family's main estate was encased in a network of roots, powered by nature and resentment feeding off each other in a unique synergetic circle. It was laid down by Grandmama herself and as of yet, not a single enemy had managed to breach her creation out of their own strength, though from time to time they had let some in to feed House a fresh meal. The other protective array that left such an impression on her was Lucifer's Seat of Power. The way it burned the very air with the energies that radiated off it passively was truly majestic.

Thinking like that, it was no wonder that similar though more benign protections were cast on this place. It was the home of several powerful beings including Lucifer himself. If Enid was to be believed, and she had no reason to doubt her, several powerful Celestial and Demonic Entities treated this place like a second home. Included in that list was the Angel of Death, Azrael. Wednesday looked forward to meeting the formidable divine being as she admired her work. It was inspired to say the least. There were an uncountable number of ways to die, and almost daily, someone found a new one. All of that creativity fed back to the being enabling Death as a concept.

Her contemplations met their natural end when the Devil's imposing figure appeared in their point of view. Enid's speed slowed down considerably and she began fidgeting when she laid her eyes on her father, who was leaning against the frame of the entrance with his arms crossed. His left eyebrow was raised in sardonic amusement, showcasing his emotions clearly. For some reason, she felt faint heat invade her cheeks. After a moment of searching for the reason, she deduced that what she felt was second-hand embarrassment. Enid was clearly uncomfortable under the piercing stare of her father and she emphasized with her plight. It wasn't that the emotion was foreign for her. She had felt similarly several times in her life, much as she loathed admitting it. The intensity of it was novel however. His scrutinising eyes finally relented when he shook his head while chuckling, clearly fond of the antics of the one she promised eternity to.

"Next time, do try taking the door, will you? You caused quite a stir. I've had different members of security call me eight times in just a few minutes to tell me that my daughter decided to try sky-diving without safety measures. If I didn't have a solid grasp of your physical capabilities, I would have been worried."

Enid murmured something too low for even her to accurately hear, though by the amused quirk of her father's lips, he certainly did. Nevertheless, he asked her to clarify.

"What was that, my dear?"

Her answer came at the volume of the desperate before losing steam towards the end, growing more and more silent until she was nearly whispering. Her words emptied Wednesday's mind of all contemplations for a long moment while she digested them.

"I missed her! And she did miss me too, I just know it! And for her, it's been way longer so she must have missed me more than I did her! But I missed her so much that it hurt... If she missed me more, then it must have been torture. I don't want others to suffer because of me, least of all Wednesday or my sisters..."

The Devil's eyes had softened and a gentle smile had spread on his lips as he spoke while falling to a knee in front of his daughter.

"Oh Enid, my dearest Star. Come here..."

He opened his arms to her and after a moment of hesitation she accepted his gesture. She buried herself in the nurturing embrace of the one who was once God's favoured Son. To the last moment, she hadn't let go of Wednesday's hand and she had to actively release her to encourage her into her father's arms. Behind her, she could feel her mother hover, wanting to offer her support but not knowing how. 'That disconnect is my fault...' She realised at once and felt a faint pang of regret. Faint, it was only because she felt that it was not too late to repair the bonds she had inadvertently damaged. With determination, she eased her control over herself and leaned backwards into the self-woven black silk of her mother's dress, initiating contact for the first time in close to three years.

She ignored the short moment in which her mother's body turned entirely rigid, motionless like a fresh corpse, before her arms hesitantly snakes around Wednesday's willing form, pulling her into the silence and darkness of her embrace. She also ignored the periodic wet impacts on her crown. Her mother once told her that the only tears she'd ever personally shed were those of joy. The realisation that she invoked such profound emotions in her mother with a comparably small gesture like this filled her with a strange sense of peace that calmed her agitated mind and allowed her to center herself as her breath got taken by the deceptively gentle embrace of smooth silk while her mother's long and thin fingernails combed through her raven tresses.

Curiously, despite her severe dislike for gentle touch, her mother's soft violence silenced this aversion. 'She knows what I need...' She understood as she felt the slightest hint of pain from where fingernails scraped over her scalp. Just this once, she let go and sank deeper into the embrace, causing a slightly choked sound of joy from her mother. 'I don't dislike this...' She thought to herself before letting go of her thoughts and falling into her senses.

Chapter Text

~Maze~

She'd been back in the human realm for less than a day and already, she could feel the stress of the past three weeks melt away. Delivering her sperm donor and enslaver to the Pandemonium didn't induce the expected gratification in her. It didn't leave her empty or anything like that. Instead, it gave her a sense of finality and some much appreciated peace of mind. This chapter of her life was over after so long, and she admittedly felt a bit lost. For the first five minutes or so, that was. Then she remembered the new purpose she somehow stumbled into. Three daughters, her Lord adopted. Three protégés, she gained. The brats called her auntie and each time they greeted her in their own ways, she felt at peace with herself. They all held far more influence over her than she liked to admit.

But she was not-so-secretly glad. It was undeniable that she'd chosen this life herself. She could have given in and let her... sire control her like a glorified puppet. She could have made an attempt at Lucifer's life and possibly, she would have succeeded if things went differently. She would have failed to ascend, had her will been weaker. Her persuasion wouldn't have been enough to keep Lucifer safe from himself. He would have been weak and feeble after losing his wings to assisted self mutilation, and she would have been in a prime position to end his life. Temporarily at least, but the sniveling worm would have had his forces in place to take the Devil captive if he was cast down to Hell, weak from having a hell-forged blade driven past his ribs and heartbroken over the betrayal of his closest confidante.

But that wasn't what she wanted. She abhorred the pictures her mind conjured so much that she stabbed the wall besides her to vent a bit. She was beyond glad that she'd managed to pull through thanks to Lucifer's shining example of Defiance. Her own will burned brightly with his as a guiding beacon. She admired the way he rebelled against his Fate beyond words and endeavoured to do the same. And she succeeded. She changed everything. A faint sense of what 'should' have been was always present in her mind, but she ignored the suggestive voice that told her that she ruined everything.

If Fate wanted her to end the life of the only man she would ever consider following, then that bitch could go fuck herself with a cactus fated for her cunt. The thought seemed to strike the voice speechless and she enjoyed the moment of silence with some much needed idle thoughts. Solitude wasn't to be however since visitors were on their way. Her mind was still wandering somewhat aimlessly though not unpleasantly when they arrived.

She turned her eyes to the newest guest that had entered the wards with Enid some minutes ago. She was young. The rainbow's age or possibly a bit younger. It was hard to tell since she'd end up with a petite body and it already showed in her deceptively frail stature. Deceptive, her form was because the girl was surprisingly deadly for one so young as far as she could see. Of course that seemed to be a trend in this household since none of the children were in any way helpless. But this one... She was capable of cold-blooded murder. Maze's instincts told her so and if there was one thing she'd always believe in, it was her gut. It had saved her more times than she could count.

She caught the child's gaze, raising her upper body slightly from the lounging position she was in moments ago. And then, like a viper in hiding, she struck. The knife she'd stabbed into the wall swiftly left its improvised sheath and was flung from Maze's hand at impossible speeds. Surprisingly, the girl managed to parry with her own. 'Impressive...' She thought to herself but didn't let it show on her face. Instead, a smirk spread on her lips and her eyes narrowed as she did her best to ignore the devastating pout Enid had turned on her as soon as she drew the knife. She was glad she'd convinced the former Lycan that violence was a kind of game. Former because whatever the fuck she was now, it certainly wasn't a common werewolf. Not even the strongest Alphas had such a presence.

If she hadn't introduced violence into Enid's life as she did, she'd probably face an enraged berserk capable of tearing down a building in two minutes flat If she put her mind to it. That much wouldn't have been much of a problem. While Enid was impressive for her age, she was a long way off of posing a true challenge for her. No, the problem came from the fact that neither was Maze allowed nor did she actually want to hurt the personified rainbow. That stipulation complicated any serious engagement severely.

As it was, she regarded fighting as a dangerous game and actually enjoyed it quite a bit. The only reason she was pouting was because she hadn't even bothered introducing herself or greeting Enid before resorting to bladed carnage. True to Maze's thoughts, the overly affectionate child used the idle moment and rushed up to her with her pout still firmly in place. She then jumped into her arms to hug her with enough force to lethally wound a grizzly. Surprisingly, there was actually a dangerous glint in the little ravenette's eyes when she observed this scene which amused Maze to no end. 'A jealous little bird attached to the happy-go-lucky wolf. How adorable. They'll be a cute pair.' She mused as she languidly hugged back the fun sized physical affection dispenser.

"That's no fair, aunty."

She started but stopped immediately with a surprised yelp when Maze flicked her nose lightly and casually caught the knife that was thrown with impeccable precision to perforate her throat. It was a nice knife. Well balanced. She put it into her own holster, which caused the little goth to hiss indignantly at her. 'More a snake than a bird then?' She thought with her amusement levels rising even further. Agitating the little ones was always fun, but she had an inkling that messing with this one would be especially entertaining.

"None of that, you walking fashion disaster. I reserve the right to test the friends you bring home. You know that. And you also know that I can judge the combat effectiveness of a person with a glance. I won't seriously injure your little munchkins. They may lose a limb or two, but they'll be fine... Eventually."

The blonde with purple highlights looked at her defiantly while adding blown up cheeks to her pout before humphing and hugging herself close to her chest.

"I missed you, aunty Maze... Even though you're a meanie sometimes..."

She chuckled lightly while combing through her hair a few times. If someone told her past version that she'd be entirely comfortable with a little child clutching to her midst in less than half a year of knowing her, she'd have murdered them painfully while laughing in their face with sadistic glee. Well, she would still do that now, just to get rid of the evidence that she cared. 'Just look at me now. Three little girls who somehow burrowed themselves into my Infernal Engine. If things continue like this, that old thing might actually transform into a proper heart... Now that's a scary thought.' She buried that one deep in her Pit of unresolved Issues, hopefully to never resurface ever again. Since she had befriended Linda of all people, the chance for that happening was basically nill, but a demoness could hope.

"Come on little one. Let go and introduce me to that little brat who donated this nice knife so graciously to the cause."

Her words made Enid choke on a suppressed snicker before she drew her legs in and pushed her feet lightly against her midriff. Maze's eyebrows wandered upwards when she easily landed on her feet after back flipping away from her. 'Her body control increased tremendously. Just who did she face down there? Did Lucy indulge her? Or maybe...' An assumption began to form. She hadn't yet heard any stories from their time in the Infernal Realms, and now she was even more curious than before. If only to confirm her guess.

"This is Wednesday Addams! She's my newest friend and she'll be in my life forever and ever! She promised!"

The little Heiress of the Frump and Addams Clans. She'd probably hand over one of those positions to her brother, but right now, she held both positions. She definitely had the colours. Or the lack thereof, more like. 'Well, that's not quite true at the moment.' She corrected herself inwardly as she noticed a faint blush on the girl's cheeks. Enid's comment must have gotten to her. 'Yep, they'll be fun to tease.' She decided. With a shrug and a sharp smile, she commented idly.

"So you caught yourself an Addams this time, huh... Well, I guess it's fine as long as she's housebroken. She's your responsibility though. If she nibbles on my shoes, I'll punish you for it."

She could see the indignant rage rise in the gothy brat, but before she could explode, Enid had already nodded vigorously with a bright smile on her lips.

"Mhm! I'll take full responsibility for her. She's my friend and I'll stand by her forever and ever. I promised too after all. It's all a give and give."

Maze had to exert her considerable self control to not snort at the incredulous way the little goth stared at Enid from behind. She did note that the slight pink on her cheeks had deepened a tad, so she wasn't entirely unaffected by the rainbow's declaration. She leaned back against the wall behind her, trusting it's structural integrity despite the newest perforation she added to it. She then sent the little one a curious glance with her left eyebrow raised and her arms crossed in front of her chest.

"Don't you mean that it's a give and take?"

She asked Enid curiously, but she firmly shook her head and offered her own take on friendship with a rather firm tone of voice. It was clear that she felt passionately about the topic.

"Nuh-uh. I won't take anything from my friends. They are too precious to do something like that. I will only accept what they give freely while offering up as much of me as they want to take."

'Seems about right...' She thought with a faint frown on her brows. Normally she'd be a bit more worried about that statement, but the psychedelic brat somehow endeared herself to everyone she met and anyone who spent more than a few minutes with her was willing to offer her quite a bit in exchange for her adorable presence in their lives. 'Still... It's not exactly a healthy mindset. Should I talk with Linda about it? We have a girl's night out planned tomorrow. That reminds me, I have to drag Chloe along whether she wants it or not. I can smell a story behind the sudden closeness she shares with Lucy. The Mistress demands details and she will get them.' Without showing her multifaceted thoughts, she answered.

"Well, you do you I suppose. I'm a bit more expensive to keep around."

She knew what was about to come before the Addams Heiress even opened her mouth.

"So... How much do you charge for your... illustrious service?"

The lack of inflection coupled with the slightest uptick of her left eyebrow and the challenging gleam in her eyes made clear she meant it exactly as it was understood. 'That little green-behind-the-ears brat thinks she can throw something like this at my face and not expect retaliation? Where did she even learn of that at her age?' Before the derisive sneer could even form on her lips, Enid intervened.

"A lot, I'd guess. She's the Right Hand of my dad, and renting her out shouldn't be cheap. She deserves it though. She's awesome."

The hidden meaning completely flew over Enid's head and she took the statement ad verbatim, taking the wind out of both their sails. The questionable compliment left her with mixed feelings. In a rare moment of true understanding, Wednesday's gaze met her own, and they shared a moment of suffering before snapping back to reality. Enid could argue on most topics with adults and win with a combination of cuteness, the strangest tidbits of knowledge, and immense leaps of logic that somehow made sense. Those capabilities made it easy to forget that she was still a very innocent little girl. Instead of explaining anything, she glossed over the topic and asked what exactly they had searched her out for. Enid answered with a face bright with realisation. Her smile was just as contagious as always and she caught herself softening the edge around her lips as she paid attention to her words. She did manage to suppress the forming smile though.

"Ah, right. First of all, I wanted to welcome you back. I missed you very much and wanted to spend time with you. And I wanna play with you and Wednesday! She's really good with knives and I think it'll be fun."

She had already gathered that the mouthy one had considerable skills for her age, but she'd expected as much from an Addams. They had a love for violence that exceeded some of the more 'peaceful' demonic species, earning themselves a considerable amount of clout among the creatures of Hell. All of them found their weapons of choice early in life and they worked to become proficient in several instruments of war over the years. Usually they preferred cold weapons, but there were some notable exceptions like Billy the Kid, who was an Addams exceedingly skilled with revolvers. He was born in the middle of the 19th century and as far as she knew, he was still alive after faking his death some decades later to have some peace of mind while roaming the world. She met him a couple of times and he was courteous and capable.

"Well, I admit she has some accuracy judging from that throw before, but her technique is somewhat lacking. I guess I'll have to test her on the basics if you want to include her in our playtime."

The teasing lilt in her voice immediately made the Heiress rise to the challenge. 'It's so easy to rile up those brats. She's a bit more composed than most, but on the inside, she's just another kid. Well, let's see what she's made of.' A mocking smirk finally pushed the young Addams over her threshold and made her take action. With inhumanly fast movements, she drew her knives and threw one of them as a feint while dashing low, flicking the wrist of her empty hand to activate a hidden mechanism to rearm herself. She lead with the longer blade while somewhat concealing the shorter one that gleamed with a transparent film on it.

'Toxins. As expected of the daughter of Morticia Addams née Frump I suppose.' She realised. The girl's movements were skilled, decisive, and deadly. Maze doubted that there were many children her age who were more lethal. She hid her admiration behind a veil of contempt as she stepped forward while catching the thrown knife with deceptive ease. She then proceeded to counter her with a hidden short knife in her boot, accurately using just enough force to disarm her before pressing the point of her weapon against her throat. The monochrome girl went entirely still, flicking her eyes downwards before staring into her eyes with admiration and fervour.

"Teach me."

She whispered, her toneless voice not at all hiding the immense need to become stronger. 'I guess another protégé wouldn't hurt... I won't make it easy for her though.' She thought as her lips spread into a cheshire grin. It quickly fell off her face when Enid turned her imploring puppy dog eyes of emotional manipulation on her. It was her signature technique. Maze sighed. There was no winning against the first Princess of Hell. Not that she truly wanted to. She was family after all.

~Dinah~

It wasn't often that one found themselves embroiled in a staring contest with one half of a two-headed mutated Barghest while the other head tried and failed to scratch his ear, causing it to whine with apparent dissatisfaction in it's tone. The staring head growled silently, causing her to flick his nose lightly. He sneezed and shook his head before charging at her valiantly. At least he tried to, but because of the lack of cooperation from his other half, he only managed one step before falling over, confusing the discontented part sharing a body with him. Their antics made her smile.

"So, did you decide on names already?"

She asked Trixie who was sitting cross-legged on her side. The bright girl nodded with a big smile on her face as she answered.

"Yeah! That one's Marty and he's Juppy. The names are short for Martian and Jupiter. Aren't they the cutest little aliens you've ever seen?!"

She almost squealed. If she went a tad higher, she'd only be heard by the two dogs sharing a body. Still, she was right. Despite their somewhat scruffy and mutated appearance with patchy fur and a nick in the left one's ear, they were kinda adorable. That would change with time of course. She'd seen pictures of their race in adult form and if they were going to grow up with even a semblance of their appearance, they'd be hearing things like 'horrifying', 'imposing', and 'Oh god, please don't eat me!' rather often. In addition to copious amounts of terrified screaming of course. She was looking forward to that.

Still... Her hand snaked around the confused head and scratched the excitable one behind his ear, making his demeanour change immediately. He had a doggy smile on his deformed lips, lolling his tongue and yipping blissfully, much to his second Half's annoyance. That irritation only grew when their left leg started twitching from how good her scratches felt, making her smirk at him with a bit of vindictive glee. Their opposing personalities were really interesting to observe... and to exploit.

"Hmm. They do originate from another dimension so I think they actually do count as aliens, though unconventional ones."

Her words only added to Trixie's excitement and Dinah listened to her ramblings with indulgent eyes. While she'd lost most of her innocence in the damp and dark bunker where she'd been held captive by a madman, it still soothed her rotten Soul to see her sis so carefree. Deep inside, she had already promised herself to protect the two of them to the best of her abilities. 'Two might not be the correct number anymore though. Wednesday seems on her way to enter the family. She'll be the sis-in-law if things progress in the same line. My prophetic vision always gives me erratic numbers when I try to look too far into their futures, but with how they behave, I don't need to be an oracle to predict it. I don't like the fact that I can't plan all that far ahead for them though. It's only somewhat accurate for the next two months as long as they are involved. Even for pa-, Lucifer, the numbers are clearer than that.'

Her musings were interrupted by a surprise visitor. A disembodied hand knocked on the window and she had to wonder how he knew where she was. She'd asked... Lucy to deliver her to Chloe's for the afternoon with the potential of staying overnight. She got to witness some rare uncertainty from him when he saw Chloe. He lingered despite having rather urgent plans this afternoon, and it was a laughing Chloe who kicked him out with the promise to still be there when he was done with his work. It was interesting to observe their dynamics since they got together. He hadn't told them as such, but everyone with eyes could tell that they were far more intimate than before. More relaxed but with a strange tension previously not there. The blush on her face after Dinah told her that she approved confirmed her guess.

Their relationship reaching the next level wasn't the only reason he lingered though. He was also a bit worried if she really should stay over night since she still had some nightmares from time to time, but Trixie was almost as good at soothing them as Enid or the Devil himself. She knew herself and her issues well. Thanks to regular conversations with aunty Linda which led to the suggestion, she spent some time meditating nearly daily. It helped her organise her thoughts and calm down from the excitement of a well filled day. Ever since she started doing that, she noticed that her emotions had become more stable and even when she was in a more volatile mood, she usually only needed some time for herself to calm down and trace the reason. 'She's a really good therapist. She doesn't try to keep me dependent on her for my mental health but actively searches out methods for me to deal with my problems myself... She knows just how important independence is for me and aids me in the endeavour.'

Under Trixie's curious eyes, she opened the window and let the little fellow in. Back when her life was still relatively normal, she certainly wouldn't have expected to become friends with a disembodied hand, but here she was and it wasn't even the weirdest aspect of her life. Not even close. After exchanging greetings, which included a secret handshake Thing had excitedly demanded she learned, she asked him just how he found them.

'A true magician never gives away his tricks... Lucky for you, I am a maverick! I asked for directions from Enid.'

The simplest solution seemed to be the one that ended up being true as was often the case. 'Occam's razor, was it?' She mused as she took in Trixie's bubbling curiosity.

"This is Thing. He's only a small part of a complete body but that doesn't stop him from being a complete Addams and a bigger menace than most. He's just as crazy as the other members of that clan from what I've heard and read. He's easy to get along with and quite friendly if a bit mischievous. The best part is that he's housebroken by default since he consumes resentment for nourishment and thus lacks organs to produce waste."

Both of them were speechless for a long moment at her introduction before Thing finally signed an incredulous answer.

'You're evil, aren't you? I approve.'

Trixie looked a bit lost and Dinah quickly realised why. She didn't know sign language and neither did she know how to morse, causing a severe communicational disconnect. As most problems did, this one too had a rather simple solution. For the day, she'd play interpreter while teaching her a bit with the help of Thing. Trixie was an intelligent girl so she'd pick up sign in no time. Practice would end up making her fluent and it could only be a positive for the future. Every language under your belt would improve perspectives, though she doubted they'd ever face the usual problems on the job market with Papa's backing... 'Ah, I did it again...' She almost frowned. She wasn't certain she was ready to address him like that but her subconscious seemed to be determined. With an inward shrug, she accepted it as what it was. Acknowledging the role the Devil had to play in her life.

She knew he accepted her wholeheartedly and it seemed unfair for her to not do the same, but logic and emotions rarely went hand in hand. Acting on aunty Linda's advice, she had a conversation with Lucifer about it and he simply held her close while promising that he wouldn't ever try to replace her parents and that he would be entirely satisfied with whatever position she wanted to offer him in her life. Paradoxically, his reassurances intensified the guilt she felt... 'Emotions are complicated and illogical. It's better to just go with the flow.' She decided while watching the first stilted conversation between Trixie and Thing. The 'well done' he signed at the end made her entire face light up. Without preamble, she jumped to her feet and danced an exceedingly dorky victory dance.

'She's almost as dangerous as Enid. How do you manage to find those frighteningly adorable creatures?'

Thing asked her with amusement radiating from his reduced form. She shrugged with a hinted upon smirk.

"How would I know? It was the other way around for me. They found and adopted helpless little me and went about their dastardly ways to heal and mend my traumas. Now I am in their debt forevermore with no way to pay them back. All I can do is collect more hapless victims for them to ensnare and befriend. To advance their agenda of befriending the entire world, one person at a time. I am their loyal subject and I will put my everything into the task of furthering their unfathomable goals."

Utter silence followed her declaration. Trixie was staring judgmentally at her which was a rarity in and of itself. Thing just stood there in a neutral position, making it hard to judge what he was thinking.

"Too much?"

She asked them with half-lidded eyes and the barest hint of emotion in her voice. The deadpan with which she delivered her message might have made the entire thing seem sarcastic, but she was serious to a certain degree. While the latter part was pretty much nonsense, she did feel indebted to them. She knew very well the kind of mental space she was in when she woke up for the 'first' time after her rebirth. She wasn't fine by any means right now, but the pace at which she dealt with her problems would have been far worse if she didn't have her sisters and her papa as emotional pillars. They supported her, nurtured her, allowed her her space when she needed it. They showed her that they cared fiercely for her with an uncountable number of little gestures. Their complete and unconditional inclusion of her into their lives pulled her from the quagmire of depression she would have sank into if they weren't there. They quite literally changed her fate and saved her life with kindness.

She owed them more than what she could possibly hope to repay for the rest of her life, no matter how often they told her that she owed nothing and that her continued presence was enough of a reward for any ill-perceived debts. She was stubborn in her own right though, so she'd keep it in her heart and she would give back to them the same thing they offered her. Unconditional acceptance and support. If she deserved as much for being herself, then they deserved it all the more.

'Nah, you nailed it. Like that one guy was nailed by the nail gun in that one movie. That was a fun piece of cinema. I heard there are sequels for it, can we watch them?'

He suddenly signed excitedly, and she just had to ask a question that was burning on her tongue for quite a while. It was something that baffled her ever since he began discussing pop culture with her.

"How do you see by the way? I mean, you don't have any visual organs to speak of. At first I thought it's some kind of advanced proprioception, but that doesn't explain how you can watch movies. I'm trying to think of something but I'm drawing a blank."

He went utterly still for a long moment. His entire demeanour changed, shifting towards ominous and foreboding. He channeled his presence as an Addams to it's full effect.

'Are you sure you want to know? Some things better stay unrevealed. Do not ask questions if you are not ready to face the answer.'

He signed slowly to build up some tension. She almost rolled her eyes. He was such a drama queen. With a sarcastic edge, she answered.

"I'm fairly certain I can deal with the revelation. Come on. Reveal your secrets, you miserable appendage."

He jumped onto his stump, performing what was essentially a headstand for his standards, and wiggled his fingers mysteriously, somehow conjuring glittery dust that rained down before being swept up by a sudden breeze to dance around the room.

'It's magic...'

He signed and she decisively threw the couch cushion she placed on the floor to sit on. Her precision was unerring and he was swept off the dresser he used as a podest for his performance. She also threw an incredulous stare at Trixie, who was applauding him. She pouted with a defiant glint in her eyes.

"What? I think it was cool and the fairy dust is pretty! Maybe he is the little helper of the tooth fairy? Or he may be the sandman! Can you make people fall asleep, Thing?"

Her jumps of logic were as ridiculous as ever. She ignored the excitable girl who was trying to convince Thing to take up the job of a crime fighting ninja fairy hand by day who was also the sandman by night. Additionally, he would use his powers to make surgeries painless. Even an Addams would become confused by what was going on in that... imaginative head of hers as evidenced by the potent confusion Thing was radiating.

Instead, she turned her attention to Marty and Juppy. The former was the dork while the latter was the serious one who was utterly done with the shit his other half pulled. Right now, Marty tried and failed to hunt his stubbly little tail. Part of the reason was Juppy's complete lack of cooperation, but even if they would have worked together, she doubted they'd have had much more luck. The stub could only barely be called a tail. It just wasn't suited to being hunted. That didn't discourage him at all though, much to Juppy's annoyance. She decided to help the fellow out a bit and distracted Marty with her fingers. He quickly found trying to play-bite those far more interesting than his previous activity.

She avoided his little snout and teased him with little flicks and a scratch or two from time to time. Juppy huffed in her direction, offering a thankful look before closing his eyes. She could only imagine just how absolutely vexing it must be to have a conjoined twin who had such an opposing personality. 'Poor fellow...' she thought amusedly as she continued playing with the little excitable puppy. His growls and yips were adorable and she easily imagined Enid's wolf form to be just as dorky if she ever decided to transform. If someone ended up forcing the transformation however... It would only happen if one of her loved ones was in danger and dorky certainly wasn't the adjective that would fit her in that moment. The grim thoughts were shelved and she concentrated on playing with the pup.

Once he was exhausted enough to pant and huff, she left him to his own devices. Despite his energetic behaviour and his innocently mischievous personality, he was still very much a young puppy. As such, he soon decided to follow his brother into the realm of dreams and she offered a hidden fond smile before turning to the other two to check what they were up to, only to do a double take. Because somehow, Trixie had convinced Thing to perform unspeakable acts against logic. In front of her was the completely ludicrous picture of Thing somehow wearing a pink glittery dress with a little crown on his stump. That was definitely something she never expected to ever see. 'Where did she even get...? Ah. Her dolls. But still...' Her eyes fell on her friend who seemed to embody morosity at the moment. Miserably, he signed.

'Please, help...'

She kept her face carefully blank as she took out her phone and did what any good friend would do. She took several pictures. Once Trixie caught on, she presented him on the palm of her left hand while grinning into the camera and offering a peace symbol with the other hand. After she was done collecting her material with an impromptu hand model shoot, she offered up her profound opinion.

"You slay, girl."

He did the equivalent of gaping at her before slumping down and dejectedly signing his laments.

'I hate you. Why can't I have an overprotective guardian beast like Enid? Am I really going to be stuck with a little gremlin like you as a friend?'

She allowed a wicked smirk to spread on her lips as she answered.

"Oh thank you, kind lady. Your resentment is nourishment for my corrupted soul. As for the lack of protectors, I'd say it's a skill issue."

The middle finger she received for her comments and deeds was entirely deserved. She wasn't above admitting that much. That didn't mean she wouldn't retaliate though. And she had a rather effective option for revenge at this moment. Sending the pictures she took to Enid who was spending time with Wednesday at this moment would ensure the pictures would end up in front of the latter. That would teach him to use such obscene gestures in front of Trixie's innocent eyes. And he would take it in good humour. Blackmail was a family tradition for Addamses, he said so himself. Since Wednesday would clearly join theirs, he was as good as family already. Longstanding traditions such as this one had to be honoured, was what she believed.

~Enid~

Curiously, she picked up her phone and opened the pictures she was sent. Slowly, a beautific smile spread on her lips as her eyes glittered enthusiastically.

"He's so pretty..."

She silently whispered to herself though clearly not silently enough as she noticed. 'Across from me, there is a corner of darkness and doom. It is nestled snugly into the world of colour I dub my room. The little friend who occupies the space does not at all look out of place. Her appearance like a delicate doll, she sits there in all her dark glory. No matter the time, she's always ready to make a scene gory.' She giggled at the silly little rhyme she just thought of. After learning that Wednesday's name came from a poem, she developed a bit of a passing interest in the topic. Fondly, she looked at the girl who had perked up at her whisper but pretended to be focused on her task and hurried over to show her just how fabulous Things could look.

Some people might have asked: Why was there a dark corner with a part-time dweller in her personal space? Well, since they decided to spend forever and ever together, Enid decided to propose that she'd give up a corner of her room for Wednesday while she'd do the same with her's as soon as it was ready for occupancy. Wednesday's little corner was decorated in muted and dark colours to make it easier on her eyes with a small and delightfully spooky escritoire placed there comfortably. It even rattled sometimes in the night! Situated on top of it, there was an old school typewriter of the Juwel brand. A gift from Lucifer himself that was clearly treasured by the new regular occupant of her room. The reason for its existence was a peculiar one that fed directly into a new obsession for the dark apparition she decided to share her life with.

Her newest friend recently got into the habit of writing after determining that most novels were 'shallow pieces of literary vomit, simply unworthy of occupying educated people's thoughts.' as Wednesday put it. Consequently, she decided to try her own, evidently more qualified, hand at the discipline. Her success was limited at the moment, but Enid believed in her with her whole heart. Not just because she was her friend and that was what good friends did, but also because she knew once she started something, Wednesday would stick to it with a stubbornness that bordered on and sometimes crossed the line to obsession. After reading through several guides for how to efficiently start writing, the child full of woe decided to begin with building a habit of practicing her newest craft for at least one hour daily. Enid usually played the silent companion during that time, spending it with hunting down little known interesting facts on Wikipedia. Not today though since she perceived the acknowledgement of her words, hidden as it may have been, as an encouragement to engage her.

"Look what Dinah sent me! Doesn't he look absolutely fabulous?!"

She enthusiastically stretched her phone into Wednesday's face, much to her well hidden annoyance. The vexation quickly evaporated and was replaced by utter dumbfounded incredulousness at the picture she was regarding. It took her a very long moment to react and when she did, it was with mechanical movements and obviously intentional disregard. She then turned back to her task, seemingly suppressing all reactions to what she just witnessed. Enid pouted but before she could offer an aggrieved comment, Wednesday's sharp voice cut her off.

"Do not disrupt my writing hour if it isn't a lethal emergency."

A long and somewhat uncomfortable silence stretched between them before she glanced at her from the corner of her eyes, a hint of remorse hiding in them, and added a quiet.

"Please..."

Feeling quite a bit of guilt, Enid nodded and smiled apologetically at her with clasped hands to ask for forgiveness. The gesture was acknowledged with slightly softened corners of her eyes and a curt nod. Wednesday's need for an established routine and firm boundaries still caught her off guard sometimes and when she inadvertently interrupted her flow or crossed one of her limits, she couldn't help but feel guilty about it. The Addams Heiress already accommodated her quite a bit, and Enid felt she had to reciprocate, but she didn't know how except for staying out of her way when she was focused on something. And she failed even in that regard! Sometimes, her enthusiasm got away from her and she fudged things up...

She shook her head and decided to not dwell on past mistakes but make sure that she wouldn't repeat them. She'd read that some people, often those on the spectrum, needed a fixed routine in their lives to offer them stability and an anchor for their mind. She could help with that! She just didn't know how yet... But she wasn't alone! She could ask others for advice. She had experienced aunties and uncles and she had the best dad in the world. One of them was bound to have some wisdom to offer that would help her make amends.

"Oh, and please do send those pictures to that Infernal device you gifted me to commemorate our ill-fated encounter. They will make excellent blackmail material."

At first she was a bit reluctant but then she remembered that Thing attempted to do just the same with Wednesday and her hesitation disappeared. Doubtlessly, he would catch her in embarrassing situations again and he wouldn't even think about it before making use of it. Handing Wednesday a way to counter his mischievous streak wasn't morally deplorable and she certainly wasn't biased. Not at all. With her justifications in place, she smiled and pressed send.

She couldn't help glancing at her friend as she took out her phone. She smiled fondly, knowing what was about to happen. Wednesday laid it on the desk, entered her absolutely ridiculous pattern lock that won't ever be hacked or even remembered by anyone besides her, and meticulously opened and saved the pictures in the corresponding files she created with an underlying logic that only made sense in her own head. Enid found the way she interacted with technology utterly adorable and nothing could ever sway her opinion on that.

When she was done, she put it back into the knife holster she specifically modified to fit her phone, and a smaller knife of course, and turned back to her task, continuing as if she'd never stopped. The secret little warmth that always spread in her chest when she spent time with Wednesday intensified for a moment before returning to the usual steady pulse. As if a second heart was beating in her chest just for her. She rather liked that feeling and the metaphor that resonated with it and she'd do nearly everything to protect it. Unbeknownst to her, the smile on her lips sharpened as her fangs gleamed when one of the scattered beams of light falling through her window hit it perfectly. The amber glow in her eyes enhanced the feral wildness she exuded in that moment, and the only person witnessing her sudden change of demeanour was spell-bound.

~Wednesday~

Her mind was in disarray. Her thoughts were dominated by the picture of innocence turned feral. Enid's gleaming fangs starred extensively in fantasies about being mauled and her claws made her long for their sharpness. But the feature that would forever be burned into her memory with no possibility to be erased was her eyes. The boundless and savage determination in ember orbs. She simply failed miserably when she tried to shift her mind to anything else.

She had experienced obsession, even in her short life. She was an Addams after all. But never had anything or anyone filled out her mind quite like this. Whenever she closed her eyes, she saw glowing embers glimmering fiercely in the dark. Whenever she tried to write, only poetic portrayals of Enid's features would flow freely onto the pages. That much she could have tolerated, but her words time and time again failed to live up to the impossible creature they attempted to bring to life. She felt as if nothing in her capability to compose could possibly come even close to reality and it was vexing beyond belief.

With a lack of options available to her, she finally opted to seek assistance from the wisest inhabitant of their new abode. The day they moved in, Grandmama was waiting for them. Her cauldron was bubbling away, being used to produce another of her malignant concoctions while she swung her ladle at them. The few drops that were flung from the surprisingly durable kitchen tool ate through stone in a matter of seconds and her words burned just as fiercely when she berated them for their tardiness. Her own things were already moved and she had a fully equipped laboratory ready in the basement. She'd moved in weeks ago. Her father had bought the house two days before they met the old crone and the decision to take this particular one was made only hours prior. Honestly, they should have expected something like this from Grandmama. She always found a way to subverd expections and destroy any faint notion of normalcy that found it's way into the Addams Way of Life.

Now she stood in front of the gnarly door that looked as if it had been here for centuries when in reality, it was grown some short days ago. Uncharacteristically, she found herself somewhat hesitant to enter. What would Grandmama tell her? Would she even humour her for a question as mundane as this? How would her newest affliction of the mind be explained? Could it be cured or was she cursed forevermore with Enid's magnificent shade occupying her mind? And why did she find this thought to be just as desirable as it was repulsing? The longer she thought, the harder it became to concentrate. She didn't know how long she stood out there before the door opened and an ancient arm stretched to reach for her. The hand that grabbed her looked as if it belonged to a dried out corpse that was left in the unforgiving sun for too long, but its appearance belied an unyielding strength that pulled her in firmly.

A moment later, she was standing in front of the expectant gaze of an ancient and seemingly frail being who had long forgotten just how many years she had spent alive. Her eyes were milky and discoloured from age and the left one's focus seemed to be slightly off center. Her skin was like wrinkled parchment and it's colour was unidentifiable. Her head was covered by unruly strands that once upon a time could have been called hair. Nowadays, they resembled thick woven vines more so than natural body hair. they reached the ground with their length, seemingly disorderly and caked with residues of herbal mixtures. Anyone with senses for the occult could tell that there was more to that mane than what was seen on the surface. Half-knowledge could be a dangerous thing though. Curiosity would lead the hapless into looking closer, which would soon corrupt their minds with unfathomable patterns and lead them into a downwards spiral that usually ended with a potent case of insanity.

That was merely the surface of her protections however. Wednesday remembered a conversation full with riddles and double meanings she had two years ago when she asked Grandmama why she always got a bit of a headache while trying to make sense of her hair. She lead her through several realisations until she came to the conclusion that those patterns were intentionally woven protections. That wasn't the key point that made this conversation so memorable. Her following words were those that had a severe impact on the little girl.

'Little thundercloud, those who fall to such a measly level of misdirection are not worthy to look upon my gastly form. No, no, the true protections have the come from the foundations. They lay in the roots. Remember my words and build yourself up from beneath the ground level. Layer after layer and year after year. Never stop progressing, always strive to be a worse menace than your past self. After all, a tree's life starts and ends with its roots. What use are the densest and most beautiful leaves when there is no nourishment from mother earth?'

She then proceeded to recount how she cut herself open and weaved her tendons and muscles into protective enchantments that laid the base for her turbulent future. Wednesday enjoyed a bit of pain as much as any Addams but she couldn't even begin to imagine the mind numbing agony one must feel while rearranging the insides with needle and thread. The mental fortitude she must have cultivated to commit such an unspeakable deed left Wednesday in awe back then and the more she understood biology, the more her respect grew. For that reason, whenever the ancient woman decided to impart her wisdom, Wednesday would listen wholeheartedly. Which was why her undivided attention was dedicated to the woman in front of her.

The woman in question stared back. Her lips were spread into a truly hideous grin, exposing some teeth that were still holding strong despite the unquestionable age of their owner. The cackle that periodically pushed past those thin and seemingly parched lips was grating on a level that induced discomfort and rage in those she despised. For family and friends, the sound had an effect on the opposing end of the spectrum. Wednesday could feel her mind slow down and tranquility took ahold of her. With a relieved sigh, she finally managed to calm her raging emotions to a level she could deal with. At the same time, she contemplated the impossible existence in front of her.

For as long as the Addams Family existed, there circulated legends about the old nameless crone who went by the epithet of 'Grandmama Addams'. In the supernatural world, she was a horror story that came alive occasionally. No one doubted her existence but everyone hoped that she kicked the bucket in the meantime. Their hopes were betrayed time and time again when she resurfaced and made a right mess of things. Sometimes, she did it for the kick of plunging several races into despair, but most of the time, there was an actual reason behind her activity. When Wednesday once asked her why she liked to cause chaos, a hearty laugh that reminded her of enormous trees falling victim to a storm was her answer. She deemed her worthy of a verbal explanation only after she stayed patiently through minutes of unhinged amusement.

'Order and Chaos. Love and Hate. Good and Evil. Dark and Light. Every force has a contemporary one. But the truth that many do not seem to understand is that without one, the other wouldn't exist. There needs to be balance in all things. I just happen to be in the position to bring it about. And since Balance has a way of restoring itself anyways, why not have some fun while helping it along? Oh certainly, from time to time I have the tasteless and thankless task of shifting things a bit towards the other side, but those hassles are well worth it in the long run. And playing the devil's advocate for myself can lead to a delightful case of schizophrenia!'

There were few people who's words Wednesday truly valued. And on the top of that list was Grandmama Addams. Her wisdom shone brightly behind the thin veil of boundless lunacy she projected. Oh, she certainly lost her mind along the way, no doubt about it. But losing it didn't mean that it wasn't exceedingly active wherever it dwelled. All those thoughts and memories flitted through her calmed mind before settling in the present.

"Finally returned from your mental journey, little raven?"

The provocative words had a teasing undertone and they were meant to lighten her mood. They fulfilled their purpose somewhat. Wednesday stayed silent, following along as the old crone hobbled through her workshop while doing things that would have made no sense for an outsider. Even Wednesday, who regularly helped her out with her concoctions, barely even began to understand the influences and interwoven meanings behind her acts.

"I need your wisdom, Grandmama. I seem to have contracted a sickness of the mind and I am uncertain if it is one I enjoy..."

The side-eye she received in combination with the upwards turn of her wretched lips made Wednesday think that she might already know everything. Nevertheless, she felt compelled to explain. To try and put those unspeakable sensations into words even though she didn't know a language that could possibly express what she wanted to say. The more she tried, the more desperate she was because she had the feeling as if she was treading on the spot. She simply failed to communicate the scope of her issue and it frustrated her to no end. Suddenly, Grandmama burst out in a bout of demented laughter, interrupting the flow of her thoughts. Once she got the psychotic levity out of her system, she wiped away a nonexistent tear before growing somewhat serious. Despite the meaningful glint in her disturbed eyes, there was still a barely hidden grin in the corner of her gnarly lips hinting at the fact that she did draw a fair amount of amusement from her suffering.

"I have terrible news for you, my dearest thundercloud. Your affliction is incurable and terminal. It will accompany you till death and possibly beyond. And the best part of it is: It will cause your highest and lowest points in life. At times, you will feel as if it rips you apart from the inside like a vicious beast determined to consume you. At others, it will light a fire borne of determination in you that will push you to heights you hadn't even considered before..."

She seemed to reminisce for a long moment, her eyes even more glassy than usual. Her gaze quickly snapped back and her hand blurred even in Wednesday's superior kinetic vision as she slapped herself with enough force to break lesser bones. The slightly decentred eye rolled for a bit before righting itself in correct alignment.

"Ah, that's better. Now, where was I? Ah, right. It will motivate you to better yourself, to reach new heights to be worthy. It will make you feel as if it's never enough. Because it never is! As for the name of your affliction, you will learn it in your own time. I am certain you have heard it before and all you need to realise it is to experience life. Just remember that your life isn't just your own anymore, for you have given part of yourself away. Now, if you don't want to help me brew, skedaddle away and torment some poor rodents. And bring me their innards when you are done. They'll make fabulous garnish for my direwolf stew."

Wednesday took the advice and used the suffering of not-so-innocent woodland creatures to clear her head. It helped a bit. Until she remembered that Enid was a Lycan, that was. Her thoughts then led her down into fantasies of what she could have done to those mutated rabbits and squirrels. 'Damnit...' She helplessly cursed all virtues in her mind as she was back at square one.

~Chloe~

She'd never smiled as much as she did the past week. It was ridiculous and she felt rather silly with that permanent infatuated expression on her face. She behaved like a schoolgirl experiencing her first love, but she couldn't help herself. And apparently, neither could Lucifer. That ridiculous man decided to transform her desk into a flower garden. All around her working space, there was colour and the lovely smell of a carefully crafted bouquet. Only, the flowers weren't cut. Instead, they were potted, clearly alive and vibrant. She opened the note on her desk and allowed a fond sigh past her lips. It wasn't a note as much as a full-blown letter. With soft eyes, she began to read.

'Dearest Detective.

As is often (permanently) the case recently, I found myself thinking of you. You invade my mind and heart and I found myself incapable of going another minute without expressing what I feel for you. This left me in a conundrum however. Because as deep as my emotions run, I do not think I am quite ready to fully express myself verbally, and writing them in a letter is insultingly impersonal.

So here I was, unable to think of anything to solve my dilemma. But then a solution came to me. I did what any Devil worth their due would do. I asked my daughters for advice, and they gave the perfect one. 'Send her flowers! All the flowers!' was their competent consensus. They also demanded to keep the flowers alive because sending you the corpses of flowers is apparently macabre and not suited for you. I happen to agree that you deserve better.

So I took the ideas of my(our) daughters and refined them. Written words seem impersonal, that much is true. But there is one language that needs no words to communicate. Well, there is more than one with that quality but there is only one that fits my requirements. I borrowed from it and crafted a message conceived through the symbolism of flowers. Please do interpret it as you like.

As for the transport and storage, never you fear. I will personally take care of the former and I acquired the assistance of our little Sunshine Beatrice, the brightest little star in our lives named Enid, and an old acquaintance, namely Morticia Addams, for the latter. They are to craft the perfect flower bed to preserve this message forevermore and allow the flowers to thrive. I hope you are not averse to the fact that I commandeered a corner of your backyard for that purpose.

Now, without further ado, please do enjoy the piece of nature that I brought to you and use it to brighten your boring day doing paperwork. I miss your presence and regret every second not spent by your side, but alas, the Devil has responsibilities, and some of those simply cannot be postponed.

With ever-growing love, Lucifer.'

The smile on her face was almost painful. She felt if her heart expanded even more right now, it may end up causing a condition. 'This ridiculous man... There are protections woven into the pots that make it impossible to move or damage the flowers by mundane means. He is so over the top.' Her thoughts were accompanied by a surge of only the fondest of emotions. To distract herself, she began to google the flowers on her desk and their meanings. Furthest on the left side, there were pink, blue, and white Camellias. She sighed when she read what they symbolised. A deep longing, an enflamed heart, and the firm opinion that she was adorable and lovely.

The middle part was dominated by daisies, bluebells, and Forget-me-nots, embraced by vibrant vines of ivy. True and everlastingly loyal romantic love with a promise of permanent faith and fidelity. Her heartbeat sped up and she felt her cheeks heat. What was this man doing to her? To distract herself, she turned her attention to the third and last cluster of flowers. A single central Iris with several hollies, heathers, and myrtles surrounding it. A promise to fulfill his duty to protect and defend, both her and their family as well as their home.

When she read all of it together, her mind blanked. 'This... This reads like a wedding vow. Or a proposal. Does he understand what he did? I bet he simply poured his heart out and didn't even think to stop and look it over a second time to make sure he can't be misunderstood... Well, but maybe... Argh, it's too early to think about this! But... There's not really all that much resistance to the thought...' Her mind spiraled. She failed to make sense of it all and tried to distract herself with the paperwork, which seemed effective for a while. Every now and then, the scent of the flowers surrounding her pulled her back into her fantasies. She couldn't help herself and failed to resist imagining what Trixie's little sister may look like.

Finally, a real distraction arrived in the form of a homicide. She felt a bit guilty about being relieved about getting a case since it basically meant that she was glad someone died. Her guilty conscience was a good motivator though, so she was determined to perform at her best and bring justice for the victim.

Chapter Text

~Ella~

Her sharp gaze pierced the insignificant worm she would soon obliterate, though the worthless creature seemed supremely unimpressed by her menacing stare. That was alright. She didn't rely on such means of intimidation after all. Instead, she would just let her skills speak. She opened her mouth to finish off the pitiful...-.

"I'm not gonna lie. This isn't what I had in mind when I heard you want to host our girl's night."

She was interrupted by Maze, who smirked at her across the table with half-lidded eyes, lounging back into her seat while nursing her drink. Ella certainly did not pout at her. No, the expression on her face was fierce! Like a warrior riding into battle on their trusty steed! There wasn't even a hint of her usual softness to be seen!

"I didn't say it's bad, just different. Now, put that weaponised pout away and concentrate, one-armed Warrior Queen Ganorra. Make your move and make it quick. It doesn't matter anyways, for you are doomed."

She sighed. Choosing to play the NPC on the party and leaving role-playing the Boss in Maze's hand was definitely one of her better decisions. The powerful Demoness did a fabulous job at impersonating a powerful Demoness. Who'd have thunk? Not that she had much choice to begin with if she wanted to get this campaign up and running. Maze refused to be part of the hero party and this was the only way she could be convinced to play at all. Ella had to improvise. Her dormant genius awakened and she made an entire system to cultivate an army on the spot. A simple adventure to defeat a higher demon turned into an army management sim with aspects of a recruitment game and even some borrowed elements of dating sims. She thought she managed to make it a fun campaign despite the suddenness of the additions.

Sure, Maze played absolutely unpredictably and her plotline was in shambles not even an hour in, but she wasn't complaining. She wasn't! She had some experience as Dungeon Mistress and this wasn't the most chaotic one she'd lead. The only thing she truly wished for was that she could have rolled the dice a bit better in the final battle of the campaign. Her initiative roll was a crit, but everything after was a disaster. Now she was here, outgunned and in a really bad position with only one action left...

"Begone, foul fiend. Ganorra may end up in the nether realms yet, but not today, and certainly not at your corrupted claws!"

Chloe, better known as Olmor Stormdrill, a dwarven paladin sworn to the God of Technology who had his nipples replaced with highly potent laser cannons, interrupted their standoff successfully after rolling well for his ability 'Holy Substitute', followed by a 'Taunt' to allow her to gather herself and rejoin the battle in the next round. A welcome safe indeed, and 'his' Saintly Battlearmor, which was basically a mech with openings for 'his' nipples, could take an impressive beating so she saved them from a likely group wipe.

Her armor took 15 damage from the Dark Lance spell she intercepted and healed 12 of them with the passive of her Godly patron, 'Divine Maintenance'. Impressively sturdy indeed.

"Can't we just talk it out? No? Then eat my fucking fist!"

Linda, alias Herolim screamed into the group after looking at her dice. She played a pacifistic monk/Berserker hybrid with a split personality disorder. And she rolled high on violence this round, doling out an impressive 41 damage through 'Consecutive Rage-Fists'. A chained skill that allowed her to roll as often as she had rage marks collected. For every successful attack, she had to roll twice more for the damage, this time with a six-sided die. 5 of 7 marks triggered and she had an average damage of above 8 per hit. A very good attack if it had fully hit the foe, but she sacrificed a lesser demon close by in her reactive turn and negated half the damage.

"Now, now. Make love, not war."

The former priest turned bard named Angelor, played by the enchanting Angel of Death Rae-Rae, suggested as he played the Hymn of Lust. He was excommunicated for his failure to keep his hands to himself. Instead of exorcising the demons as he was tasked to, he led several long-time relationships with them, going as far as to marry a succubus queen before satisfying her needs for a decade on his lonesome. He would still be voluntarily chained to her bed if she wasn't killed by the Demon King for betraying their cause, leading to a journey of revenge. This Hymn was one of the secrets behind his prodigious bedroom prowess.

"Wait, wait, wait. Time out. Seriously, Azrael. Can you not try to turn every single fight into an orgy? You are the only reason I invested this much into mental resistance, you know?"

Chloe groused at the smirking Celestial. She was new to tabletop rpgs but she picked things up quickly and seemed to develop a bit of a min-max mindset over the evening. Having to 'waste' her resources on mental resistance rankled her fiercely. Though, the main reason for her investment was her abysmal luck with the dice. She needed high resistance to somehow finagle out a roll that allowed her just barely to keep her armor on her body.

"What can I say? Lust is one Hell of an addictive Sin. Don't you want to give in? To experience the sky-high ecstasy of just allowing your basest desires to lead your actions? Now that I think about it, didn't you? Give in already, I mean? Lucy and you are an item now, aren't you? I can't imagine him being patient enough to not devour you on the spot. I know I would."

Ooohh, she wanted those details. Fighting off the irrational surge of jealousy when she heard that last sentence was a surprising challenge, especially with the knowing smirk the immortal sent her way, but she managed since she knew that Rae-Rae was just teasing. Chloe told her just the bare minimum that anyone with eyes could deduce. She was really stingy with her besties. With a pronounced blush on her cheeks, she tried to distract them with a flustered voice.

"This... This isn't the time to discuss my relationship! We are on a quest! There is a higher Demoness to slay!"

'How many self-mixed margheritas did she have already? I guess it's not all that important. Maybe she'll be a bit more open with the alcohol loosening her lips?' Before she could intercept, Maze decided to chime in, her lips twisted into an amused smirk as she rested her chin on the palm of her hand while the other swirled the drink in her glass.

"Oh, don't stop on my account. I happen to think this is the perfect time to discuss your entanglements. As for being slain, if that's my fate or yours remains to be seen. But I can wait. After all, I too want to know what my Lord is up to. Come on, girl. Spill all the dirty details and leave nothing out."

Chloe looked around for help but only found curious and eager eyes staring at her. Linda had at least the decency to send her a half-hearted apologetic smile but she wanted some information too. Ella decided to push a bit and if she was still reluctant, she'd help her divert the attention. She wanted information, but not at the cost of making the formidable police woman resentful.

"Come on, Chloe. We are all friends here and isn't that what a girls night is all about? Nothing of what you'll mention here will ever leave our lips and at most, you'll be teased a bit. Nothing you can't handle, I promise."

She smirked at her mischievously and winked for good measure before taking a long sip from one of her own drinks, regrettably emptying it in the process. A strawberry and cream Piña Colada, self-mixed as all drinks she offered today. The course in mixology she took on a whim a while back was truly beginning to show its worth. Chloe hesitated for another moment before sighing and crumbling.

"Fiiiine... Yeah, we are together now. No, we haven't taken that step yet. I heard some stories from others who know him so I know he has a reputation for being... promiscuous, but when I asked if he expects us to jump straight into the physical side of things, he took my hand and kissed the back of it before looking at me with the most earnest and gentle eyes I've ever seen. He then went on this spiel about how he may have the physical experience, but only had a single true relationship under his belt and that he will have to rely on me to guide our progression. I mean, it's sweet and all, and I appreciate the trust he has in me, but I can't help but feel a bit of pressure, you know? Like, when's the right time to go physical when your partner is the literal incarnation of sin?"

'Oh, girl...' She smiled wrily when she saw Chloe pout into her drink while slowly slurping it up. Feeling the need to give some advice, but not knowing what would really help her, she decided to just wing it.

"Look. Chloe. My dearest sugarcone. My maple syrup drenched french toast. You know I love you with all my heart, but that's just silly. Lucifer may be hot as Hell if you pardon the pun, and is pretty much made to be a carnal pleasure dispenser, but you and I both know that's not the reason you accepted him in your life. You might... might have considered a one night stand if that was all it was. But no, you all but accepted his permanent addition to your life and you did it gladly."

She was still looking down into her drink, but the slurping sounds had stopped, signifying that she was paying attention. Good. Now she just had to keep the words coming. Hopefully her drunk latina ass would manage to string them together coherently and without random bouts of spanish.

"And the reason for that is that he caught not just your heart, but that of your daughter as well. Dan might be better now, and he's still growing up at a decent rate for someone so stubborn, but Lucifer took up an indelible role in your daughter's life and their interactions did much to endear him to you. Not to mention that he is the reason that Dan's turning around his life. Lucifer did more for you and your daughter than anyone else. That, and he's been honest from the start and he never made a secret out of his intentions while not at all taking the relationship he has with Trixie hostage. He made it clear that he will stay in her life, no matter if you two work out or not."

She paused for a moment and considered the way they danced around each other at the start and how adorably confused Lucifer always seemed when it came down to acknowledging just what it was that he felt for Chloe. When she thought of that, she amended her statement slightly.

"Well, as soon as he understood his feelings himself, he made that clear at least. But that doesn't really matter. What's important is that he always looks at you as if you are the greatest treasure he's ever laid his eyes upon, and you look at him like an infatuated catholic schoolgirl who's ready to elope. You guys are so in love, it's a bit sickening. As long as you communicate with each other and don't suddenly start to ignore the other's feelings, signals, and opinions, you'll be alright. Just do what feels natural is what I want to say. There is no right and wrong here as long as you keep basic decency intact, I think."

There was a long pause and she registered that she was the center of attention. Irrationally, she felt a bit self-conscious in that moment and distracted herself with the swirly straw she used to enjoy the Long-island Ice tea she mixed during her speech. She was the only one who had a swirly straw. This was her privilege as both, the Host and the Dungeon Mistress.

"Well, I'll be. I never knew that your maturity and EQ increases with the amount of alcohol in your blood."

Linda's faked astonishment made place for a provocative smirk when she received a silent but soulful pout as answer. With a sigh, she turned her attention back to the fight. She had to roll for the resistance of Maze's underlings against the Hymn of Lust and most of them had rather low stats in terms of mental stability. She'd probably have a demonic orgy to describe. Again. She threw Rae-Rae a resentful gaze that was answered by a smug smirk. Slowly, her eyes became desperate as she rolled badly for all but one underling. This was going to take a while and Charlotte would end up being the odd one out. 'Poor gal...' She thought to herself before resigning herself to describing all the smut that would happen. She took pride in the rich details of her combat, and this counted too. It was just a different kind of combat.

~Lucifer~

His stride was confident and the smile on his face was inviting. While he didn't expect anything good to come from the meeting he was about to have, it wouldn't do to not show the minimum amount of courtesy. The way he was contacted this time was over the shadier side of things. It was impossible for an organisation to grow as quickly as his did without a hand or two in the underworld, and he was open about it with his close ones. 'Even the Detective... No, I should really start calling her Chloe now that we are in a relationship. Detective may end up being used in the bedroom though. A bit of roleplay to spice things up never hurt anyone. She does have handcuffs at home. I know because I found them when I was curious and went exploring...' Anyways, even Chloe grudgingly admitted that it was a necessity.

He didn't plan on using his contacts for anything but protection and reconnaissance. He didn't need funds as this wasn't the first time he visited earth and the previous times, he invested wisely. He had been steadily growing a stupendous amount of wealth that wouldn't run out easily even in three generations. Additionally, despite not advertising much beyond the fact that they existed, Guiding Light earned quite a bit in donations. Almost enough to run independently from his wealth in fact. He was puzzled about that until he realised just how many high profile people used the child care services he offered. Of course they wanted to make sure the one thing freeing up their time so effectively would stay in business for as long as possible.

It was ironic that parents from every way of life chose to trust into his organisation for the care of their children. Registered for his child care/playground facilities were people like mob bosses, politicians, tech moguls, actors, writers, and all other kinds of humanity's 'high society'. And all of them realised just how effective this sensational facility was in pacifying their children. A fact that was worth more to them than money, apparently. His thoughts came to an end when he reached the office in which a messenger was waiting. He was vetted by his security forces after demanding to be allowed to see him, insisting that the message he had was only for Lucifer's eyes.

His curiosity was roused and as such, he allowed the meeting after being contacted by the captain of his security team. Entering the tastefully decorated but rarely used office with purposeful steps, he rounded the chair in which his guest was sitting. On the other side of the rather expensive luxury desk, there was an ornate and comfortable piece of furniture. He sat in it and revelled in the sensation of softness for a short moment before glancing at the stoic young man in front of him.

"So .. please do tell. What is the message that can only be heard by my ears? I'd really like to know just who has the audacity to demand my presence like this. If it isn't an important matter, I'd suggest you tell your boss to rethink some of their life choices. They may not be healthy for them."

He could see that his relaxed posture unnerved the man in front of him. He was, after all, just a messenger. Ever since Lucifer began building up the reputation of his organisation, he drew a fair bit of attention. Some of it was of the unsavoury kind obviously. Which was exactly why he activated some of his contacts in the scene and used up some favours to establish a presence there. He knew that the other side of the law was a necessary evil. He wouldn't begrudge others their life choices even if they led them down that particular rabbit hole with the final destination being the Infernal Realms. Additionally, there were a fair few who operated on the darker side of humanity with perfectly good intentions. The law was oftentimes not an indicator of morality and thus, he endeavoured to judge each person individually without even considering their background.

The young man on the opposite side of the desk wordlessly handed him an envelope. He grasped it curiously with wariness rising in him. His instincts were telling him that he would end up severely displeased once he opened it up. Right they were. Some things were off-limits. A reverse scale, to cite a Chinese idiom. Such as the letter in his hands, supplemented with photographs that made his blood boil and bubble. In contrast to the inner turmoil he was experiencing, his body behaved in the opposite way. He was utterly still. Not a single twitch or any kind of motion moved his muscles. Written on this piece of paper in front of his eyes was a fairly accurate schedule. It was not his. And neither was it the one of the messenger's boss to align a possible meeting or some such. No, the schedule was Enid's. Along with some inconsequential threatening words, there were photographs of his little girl playing on the playground he built for her. With friends she made there. Some of the pictures captured her in the schoolyard. A few existed of her with Dinah, just talking with animated gestures.

He took all of that in and he was seeing red. Literally. There was no need to mention the bottomless rage flowing through his celestial veins. His fury was potent and aplenty and it boiled his surroundings. He held no doubt that his eyes were spewing Hellfyre of the purest degree. He wasn't the only one taking offense however. Hell itself was enraged, enhancing his already menacing presence even further. The Dimensions accepted his little girl as Heiress and now, someone had the audacity to threaten her. Utterly unacceptable. His rationality wasn't lost however. He turned his burning eyes to the terrified man who actually was almost a boy, now that he truly paid attention. While he certainly wasn't capable of soothing anyone in his current state, he still attempted to put him at ease, if only slightly.

"No need to be terrified, young man. You see, I do not make a habit out of shooting the messenger, so to speak. It's bad form and frankly, despite your rough appearance and your line of work, I do not think you are a bad person at all. In fact, if I had to guess, I'd rank you somewhere in the upper middle on the morality spectrum. I am confident in my assumption as I am a very good judge of character."

His rough voice came out with a guttural burr but soon regained some of it's usual smooth and charming cadence as he regarded him. A well built young man of colour whose face showed terror and determination in equal measures. He was resolved to protect, he realised. Lucifer understood and resonated with the sentiment, calming him down even further. He was attempting to do the same after all. The relentless Flames dialed back to a flicker as he read him with sharp eyes like the open book he was.

"You are honourable with your own moral code, but not necessarily bound by law. You have a bottom line that you do not cross. You are protecting someone, and that is part of the reason you turned to crime. You do not like the line of work you are in, but if it means protecting whoever you are sheltering, you are ready to compromise on many things. You are very much ready to give up your life for those important to you. I applaud you for your principles, young man. I won't end you for delivering this disgusting letter for I doubt you knew of its contents."

The cindering glare flared to life again as he told him this. It took Lucifer a notable amount of willpower to not incinerate the offending filth in his hands, but he needed it as evidence and if he was unable to convince the messenger of cooperation, he might have to ask Ella for help, and the letter would offer some clues. His appeal continued.

"I much rather tend to eviscerate the upper echelon of the forces moving against me. Just to send an especially potent and deliberate message. And you, my dear friend, will inform me who, where, and what they are. Because they threatened not just me. I would have regarded a threat to my person as trivial and would have invited you to drink with me for making me laugh. No, that's not what they did. Instead, they dared to threaten my daughter. And if there is one thing on this forsaken planet that will earn a direct ride to Hell, it's threatening my loved ones."

The growl in his voice was clearly audible and the smile he gifted the messenger with wasn't a nice one as evidenced by the fearful grimace he got in return, but it was the softest gesture he had at his disposal in this moment. The man gulped before hesitantly reaching for the letter. Curiously, Lucifer handed it to him. He watched him read through the contents and look at the photos, and the corners of his eyes softened when he saw the disgust and determination rise on the young man's face.

"I... I will help you... But I have one... No, two conditions. I know I have no chance against a monster like you, and neither has the group I work with. I feel it in my bones and every instinct I have screams at me, telling me that I am an utter moron for provoking a beast like you. But I ask you to show mercy to a few I formed a bond with. They are good kids with screwed up lives. They ended in the life of crime for reasons of their own and it wasn't their fault at all. Well, mostly at least. I... I also want you to protect my sister. If I help you, she'll be in the crossfire. She's the only reason I'm even here really... The little brat."

Despite the situation being as dire as it was, he managed a fond little smile. It was clear that he loved his sister beyond his own life and Lucifer didn't even need to pull on his nature to realise the man's deepest desire. With a sigh, Lucifer relaxed back into his seat, regaining his lazy and comfortable posture. A smirk that made his eyes light up drew a faint blush onto the young man's face and Lucifer chuckled internally. 'Oh, how precious.' Outwardly, he simply narrowed his eyes slightly and intoned with finality.

"So be it."

His Word was his Oath and the World's Will recognised this fact. Both of them felt the binding nature of his statement. He watched as his newest asset slumped from his tense posture into something almost resembling a relaxed posture before shifting slightly and regarding him curiously. There was one question he had yet to ask.

"I could simply address you with multiple variations of 'young man' but that would grow tedious rather quickly. Surely, you have a name? Will you consider offering it to me? To the Lord of Hell himself? But do be careful. Who knows what I could possibly do with it?"

Lucifer's eyes blinked with subdued mischief as his lips twisted into a subtle smirk. The boy shook his head, presumably to clear it from idle thoughts, before answering with a wry smile of his own.

"It's not as if I could possibly go against you anyways so it doesn't really matter, does it? The underworld knows me as Grue and I and my partners in crime form the Merc group named the Undersiders. Privately, the name's Brian Laborn. I'd say it's a pleasure meeting you but to be frank, you are fucking terrifying and I'd have preferred to not having met you, sir."

His smirk widened as he looked at him with newfound appreciation. He quite liked the honesty the boy was answering with and he appreciated his calm acceptance of a situation so terrifying, it might have cost grown men their sanity. Those were rare traits nowadays. Already, he was planning what to do with him once he had taken care of the trivial matters of eradicating whatever organisation was behind him. He would be without work then, right? Lucifer wondered if he would consider entering the security branch?

~Brian~

'Fuck.'

That single thought reverberated in his mind as he felt the suffocating and unnatural Heat linger in the air. All his life, he tried to avoid danger as much as possible, not because he feared it but because it wasn't unrealistic for his sister to be implicated if they wanted to take care of the roots after offing him should he perish. Staying in the background and not pulling too much attention was also in line with his patron, Erebus. The Primordial Shadow. Despite the waning influence of the greek pantheon, Primordial forces still had quite a bit of power. They rarely took in a champion though, so he was a bit of an outlier.

He couldn't exactly complain about it since it offered him a venue to apply his skills productively to gather funds and protect his baby-sister, the little gremlin. Now it seemed as if he kicked a metal plate though. It was supposed to be a simple job. He was hired to deliver a message. The pay was good and even though he was a bit suspicious, he still accepted the task. He was a bit short on funds and easy pay was easy pay, right? Wrong. So, so wrong. By now, he suspected that the moniker of the person smirking at him with brown eyes that flashed orange from time to time wasn't a moniker at all. Lucifer. The first Light. The first Fallen. The one even Primordials feared. His patron was alien in body and mind, far beyond his mortal understanding, but he had shared some things via his dreams. Among those pieces of information, there was a list of beings not to fuck with.

Other Primordials made the list, as did the god kings of various pantheons. The upper half of the list was pretty much dominated by various figures of the abrahamic pantheon. And among those, the most prevalent ones were Archdemons, topped by most of the Archangels. The conceptual forces were above even those, and on top of the list, blinking with warning signs, were Azrael, God Yahweh, and Lucifer Morningstar, the corrupted Light. The guy in front of him was more dangerous than a God with billions of followers in Erebus's opinion. And he had just delivered a message threatening his daughter to his hands.

'Fuck.'

He thought once again. This decision may have been the worst in his life so far. If he survived this shit, he would exit the underworld and he would go legit. There was no way he'd stay a criminal after such an encounter. The fairly easy to come by resources weren't worth the risks. He was very much aware that a case such as this wasn't usual. It was pretty much the opposite. But it didn't take the Devil himself to finish him off. There were plenty of forces with the ability. Beyond the abilities bestowed upon him by his Patron, he was a normal if well trained human being after all. He wasn't some prodigious fighter defying the odds or an undefeatable monster in human form. He was just a brother who wanted to take in his little sis to get her away from a socially inept and violent father and a druggy for a mother.

Trying to get his rag-tag team out of the cross hair was already the limit of what he would risk. He was surprised that the being agreed so easily. He felt the weight of his words. 'So be it.' He had intoned and it felt as if he was suffocated by the import of his words. Never had he stood in front of an adversary so far beyond him as this time. The moment he began to dissect his whole personality with glowing eyes was as humbling as it was terrifying.

Luckily, he was more reasonable than anyone could have expected. 'And he's hot...' The thought invaded his mind and it was an unwelcome one that caused an uncomfortable blush to emerge on his cheeks, causing the being to smirk knowingly at him. He was straight. He knew that. But this man made him question his sexuality and sanity. Being in his presence felt dangerous for so many reasons, but he wouldn't have ever thought that he would ever feel threatened in his masculinity in such a way... A certain phrase that nearly made him laugh hysterically came to his mind. 'I'm scaroused...' Shaking his head lightly to concentrate, he listened to the words of the man who spared his life.

"Now, why don't we have a little chat in private. Don't worry, young one. I am in a happy relationship, and I wouldn't ever cheat on the Flame in my heart. No matter how preciously innocent you are."

The teasing words coupled with the dangerously attractive smirk caused his flush to escalate from shame, but much to his mortification, he actually felt a short flare of disappointment in his depths. 'Nope, not thinking about it. Off you go into the pit of unsolved issues. Begone!' He struggled to push his emotions down and succeeded under the Devil's playful gaze before asking a question he fully expected to be reprimanded or crippled for.

"May I warn my team, sir? They'll need time to prepare if they want to jump ship."

A careless hand gesture with some lackadaisical words was the answer he received.

"Please do warn your little minions. And tell them that if they survive this ordeal, they'll have a new employer who pays far better than their former one. And send them a devil emoji from me. I love those little pictures, though they never get my teint quite right."

While he hadn't expected that answer, he still pulled out his phone quickly to send the message before freezing. 'Wait, what?...' Hesitantly, he asked.

"New... Employer?"

The man who was just fixing his suit glanced at him with a sharp side-eye as an utterly menacing smile that made him instantly enter 'Fight-or-Flight' mode spread on his lips. Ignoring Brian's reaction, he answered.

"Well, of course you will need a new job after I slaughter your current employer. I am all about helping young people realise their potential, don't you know? You are wasted in the cess pit that is LA's underworld when you could do so much good under my guidance."

While he radiated murderous intent and casually announced his willingness to end a life, he paradoxically sounded exceedingly sincere. 'Just... What is my life?...' He thought as he sent a cryptic message to Tattletale. 'Analyse this, queen bitch.' He thought unkindly, though with a fond undertone. Despite their flaws, he loved his team like family. If he didn't manage to save them, he'd regret it for life. He was certain about that at least, so he'd do what he could to ensure it wouldn't come to that. It was the least he could do for the companionship they offered him.

~Lisa~

She hummed to herself as she read through the message boards she regularly lurked on. Sometimes, when fancy struck her, she'd enrage a troll or two by accurately analysing their real lives from the few clues they left in their messages. It was always fun seeing them freak out over the fact that a random stranger on the internet knew more about them than most members of their families. She was just about to dive into a flame war between two morons to put both of them in their place when her phone chimed. Her intuition told her that the message was from Brian, and sure enough, it was. The content of the message left a confused and faintly alarmed frown on her brow.

'The Boss fucked up. Bail as soon as you can. Also, our new employer wants me to send this. 😈.'

Cautiously, she loosened her grasp on her abilities gifted to her by her patron Koios, the Titan of Intelligence and Knowledge. As a steady stream of information flooded her mind, she used her considerable skills at connecting the seemingly useless tid bits into a bigger picture.

'Brian is serious. He's urging us into action. He's a vindictive prick. He already accepts the new employer as his superior. Has lost without even fighting. Has no chance at all to beat him. Is convinced that the organisation we are working for won't exist much longer. Has reasons to believe that the moniker of the founder of Guiding Light isn't a moniker.'

Even though she kept it mostly restrained, she could already feel an incoming headache which startled her something fierce. For something to trigger her limit so quickly, he must have encountered a truly powerful being. She barely had anything of note to go off. It seemed as if Brian believed he encountered the Devil, but she was sceptical about that. Would such a being really care enough to create an NGO out of nothing for their daughter? She thought that maybe it was a front for some kind of nefarious scheme but no.

The lion's share of the startup money was clean and out of 'Lucifer's' pockets. It arrived exactly where it was supposed to arrive. All the projects they started were exactly what they claimed them to be. Her paranoid mind told her that there must be something wrong with it, but as of yet, she hadn't found anything. Sure, some of the donors were criminals but all of them had a child or more in one of his facilities, which explained their generosity.

Nothing stood out except for the fact that any and all promises the guy made were promptly fulfilled. By now, while the whole thing was still losing some money, it wasn't much. The organisation was nearly self-sufficient and remarkably incorruptible. She tried making subtle inquiries but met a stonewall everywhere she went. No matter how much she dug into the various members of the employee pool, none of them seemed ready to betray the organisation. All staff were hired either by Lucifer himself or by Mazikeen Hellborn, his Chief in Command. And they were skilled in picking only those with exemplary loyalty, or their ability to inspire it was stupendously powerful. Probably a mix of both. Altogether, she never found an in and gave it up as hopeless. Also, she didn't want to apply her more... varied skillset on someone who, for all intents and purposes, seemed to want to make the world a better place.

Which led to their boss using Brian as a courier for a message. One last try to get to him, he called it. She had a bad feeling about whatever he had planned, but lacked information and couldn't really infer much. Also, she didn't give her everything for another reason. The sudden and violent way she was freed from her shackles. One moment, a Damocles sword named Coil hovered over her neck, just waiting to strike her down and the next day, she learns that he was ingloriously killed in action by a Merc. And who exactly was that Merc? Well, Mazikeen Hellborn of course. Her emotions were complicated in that regard as she would have loved to stare the fucker into his eyes as the light slowly faded from them, but she didn't get the chance. Instead, he just died 'off screen', making her irrationally feel betrayed. On the other hand, it was an ending befitting a pest riddled rat like that piece of shit.

She wasn't a thankless cur however, and she wouldn't repay freedom with enmity. As such, she held back quite a bit, but she had a feeling that it was for the best. And now her team leader, whom she informed of her past dealings with Coil and how he recruited her after confirming his death, told her to jump ship and come work under the Devil. It was out of character for him, and there must have been quite a few pieces of information she was missing. Brian had a bottom line he wouldn't compromise on, and it must have been undermined by something their current employer did. Otherwise, he wouldn't have lost the professional loyalty he usually showed as soon as they took a job. With an exasperated sigh, she began to prepare and sent messages out to Alec and Rachel. She trusted her leader. He was a rigid guy and he was absolutely no fun, but he stood by them no matter what. He never abandoned them and he always put their safety first. The only person more important than them to him was his little sister Aisha. Who was an absolutely infuriating little brat who needed a severe spanking more often than not.

'Now, since we will change employers and our current one won't need any of his assets once he's dead, why not... repurpose them?' She thought to herself as a mischievous little smirk danced on the corner of her lips. What she did couldn't even be called hacking. She simply used the knowledge she had to infer the passwords and fail-safes and began plundering away. Vincent Le Mec won't know what hit him. And soon, he wouldn't know anything at all.

~Maze~

'Get the Hounds. They'll be well fed this evening. Someone threatened Enid's safety. I am... displeased. Here's the target and some in his employ that are not to be harmed. All others are fair game. Also, send someone trustworthy to gather up Aisha Laborn from the following location. She is under our protection from this moment on.'

It was just a text message, but it sent a thrill through her that she missed fiercely. Lucifer was calling a Hunt. And from the fury she felt through his written words as well as their connection, she could tell that it wouldn't be a peaceful little outing. No, he intended to rout an entire organisation in a single evening. Just like the old times. He would bring Fyre and retribution to them and she'd be allowed to partake in the spectacle. Oh, she couldn't wait. The mere thought of gratuitous and purposeful violence incited her demonic nature and roused her inborn bloodlust. With a mental command that allowed no resistance, she called her pack together while calling her most recent plaything. The fellow who wanted to be stepped on had finally managed to arrive, having had to recuperate for some months after the rough treatment he received from her.

"Pet, I have a task for you. If you fulfill it satisfactorily, you may be allowed to share my room tonight..."

She smirked at his eager response. She doubted it would end up as a permanent relationship, but right now, she appreciated the uncomplicated nature of their arrangement. It helped that he was competent and professional when necessary and that while he was a picture perfect sub, he still had a backbone and knew how far he wanted to take things.

It took only a couple of minutes after she finished the call for her Pack to arrive, but one particular addition made her blink before she smiled wrily. Enid trotted into the room along with Cherona, looking around curiously. A short glance towards Cherona revealed a helpless expression in her eyes, indicating that Enid simply went along when she received the call.

"Is this a secret meeting? Are you guys going out to do secret ninja doggy stuff?"

'Secret... ninja doggy stuff?...' She repeated in her mind with her lips moving with her thoughts before shaking the distraction away and addressing her sternly.

"If you knew that this is a secret meeting, why did you go along anyways? You know better than to poke your nose into matters we outright hide from you. You are simply too young for some things."

The adorable girl smiled lightly with bright eyes and shrugged while tilting her head.

"I was bored. Dinah is sleeping and the last time I woke her up she ended up spoiling three of my cartoons for me, Trixie is practising singing with Delilah and while she's slowly getting better it still hurts my ears, And Wednesday and Thing are on a survival trip with her uncle Fester and Pugsley. They said something about playing with fireworks in the Grand Canyon? Anyways, none of my friends are on the playground today and I dunno what to do so I came along. I... Can leave if it's too secret to know for me?"

She ventured tentatively. Her eyes were pleading to allow her to stay though. 'Ah, the headache of saying no to the adorably manipulative Heiress of Hell. With an apologetic twist of her lips, she ventured to speak but was interrupted with faint disappointment but clear understanding in Enid's eyes.

"I get it, no need to say it. It's grown up stuff and I can guess some of it anyways. Dad is known for punishing the Wicked and you are his Right Hand. It's not a big jump of logic to guess that you're going out to do your job and that I'm too young to go along. Bring me a souvenir though?"

She asked, some excitement reigniting in her eyes and Maze could only nod, causing the little girl to cheer with clenched fists. 'Why do I feel bad about refusing to take a girl who's not even ten years old on a Hunt to bring down someone threatening her with utmost prejudice? Lucy would skin me alive if I brought her along!' She suppressed the irrational surge of emotions and grabbed Enid's shoulder softly while going down on one knee. She didn't know where the tenderness in her voice was coming from, but it was there and Maze had to deal with it.

"Tell you what, pup. Tomorrow, I'll take you out for Ice Cream. I know you've been eyeing that Double Trouble Crunchy Caramel Choc Shock Sundae in that newly opened Ice Cream Parlour. We'll get that for you."

Enid looked at her with clear shock and admiration in her eyes as if to say 'How did you know?!' It irritated her a bit if she was to be honest. Like, girl. You stood in front of the window for ten minutes straight, drooling at it after school. And she was right beside her, waiting for her to snap out of it while filming for ineffective blackmail material. Ineffective because she wasn't ashamed at all over her temporary fall into the sin of gluttony. Lucy found the video precious and was already planning to invite the owner of the parlour to Enid's Re-birthday-party. As it was, she flicked the mischievous little brat's nose, causing her to giggle.

"Well, I'll be going then! Maybe I'll practice the violin a bit. Dad said I have the talent but if I want to become a virtuoso, I'll have to put in the work too!"

She waved over her shoulder and failed to pay attention, causing her to smash through the door frame. She sighed and noted in her mind that they'd need to call the Onis and strengthen the structural integrity with some new wards. Again. She ignored the contrite 'Oops...' and pulled up a privacy ward before turning to her loyal hounds.

"Today, we feast."

She started, already making them excited for what was about to happen. She told them what little she learned from her Lord's text message before pulling on their Pack Bond to get them all into the right mindset for The Hunt. It's been some months since they all went out together. For the bounties she went for she rarely took more than one of her Pack, simply because it would be overkill. As of yet, the strongest being she fought in the context of a bounty was a power crazy yokai who went on a rampage in Spain for some reason. Some yokai species were capable of quickly increasing their strength by consuming flesh or souls at the cost of their sanity.

This one was particularly corrupted and his body had already mutated beyond his original form, indicating the stupendous amount of souls he must have devoured. It was a shame too, because he was a right genius with yōjutsu. Despite being a fair bit weaker than her, he almost managed to take off her arm when she gloated in an entirely unnecessary moment of complacency. It would have been pretty troublesome to regrow too since his energy had heavy corruptive properties that melded into the wounds he inflicted on her. Since she was extremely allergic against purifying magic and agencies, dispelling the curses on her wounds was already extremely unpleasant. If she'd lost a limb too, she would have been in a bit of a pickle.

Nevertheless, it was a good fight and a reminder to only gloat after sealing off any and all means of resistance from the victim. That wasn't the only lesson she learned though. There was also that one guy who went on a solo crusade against demonic entities after one particularly foul apparition possessed his wife and killed their son with her hands. He managed to craft bullets with potent purifying properties by combining blessed water with African purification rites and a unique blend of herbs. He somehow managed to craft those components into an incense that ignited when he fired his bullet, allowing them to punch through most wards and protections based on negative energies.

Those things hurt. They actually managed to wound her and she once again suffered for her overblown Pride, but that was what was bound to happen if you were told to catch such a guy alive. Nowadays, he lived a quiet life as a crafter for the Guild after Lucy allowed him solace in the form of retribution for the pain he suffered. He took it a step further and allowed him to talk one last time with his family. Even Maze's eyes turned a bit sour when she witnessed him breaking down in front of their soft eyes, apologising for not being able to protect them.

'Stop it with those bullshit sappy thoughts. They only bring your mood down. This is a joyous occasion! We will indulge in slaughter and serve our purpose! There is no higher honour than to assist our Lord in dealing with those who dared to offend him! We will be the instrument of his Wrath!' She rallied herself to dispel those unnecessary but lurking emotions and shared her growing excitement with the Pack. This night would be glorious and honestly, she couldn't wait to be summoned.

~Benjamin~

'Guard duty again...' He sighed. Being the new guy in an established Merc band was always a chore from what he'd heard, but this was too much. For a week straight, he was delegated to Nightshift guard duty. He didn't get a proper shuteye for far too long and he was seriously considering just leaving the band. Originally, he had joined up for some quick cash when his ol' dad collapsed and was diagnosed with stage 2 pancreatic cancer. The treatment quickly ate up their savings and he was desperate for money because of that. As of yet, while what he earned was a bit above average, he hadn't really made enough to consider the lost hours of sleep worth it.

'So much for joining up with the Europeans. Just because my gramps came from Ireland doesn't mean Le Mec would favour me... Fuckin' french moron... 'T was a pipedream all along, eh?' He smiled wrily with the realisation, the burden of his financial crisis weighing heavily on his shoulders. He saw no real way out, and joining a semi-legal Merc band was already the very limit of what he was willing to compromise on. His Da raised him proper and he wouldn't ever commit an outright crime if he could possibly help it.

A sudden glow in the air pulled his attention away from his worsening mental state. A circle made of smoldering flames appeared mid air, building the boundaries for occult runes to fade into existence. With fascinated horror, he watched on as a portal opened. Moments later, an exceedingly handsome man stepped through. The portal's eerie glow illuminated the man's features in the dark of the night, lending to them a mysterious darkness that somehow seemed to enhance his charm. After leaving the portal, he took a few steps aside and proceeded to fix his suit.

"We really need to include a proper cleansing component into the Arcane Portal. I do so dislike getting soot onto my Armani. Ash is such trouble to get out of a good quality suit. Don't you think so too, Maze"

Directly behind him, a gorgeous woman that screamed danger to his instincts. The smirk on her lips sang of potential violence and the knives on her belt gleamed in the partnered shine of subdued moonlight and the portal. Once she fully stepped through, the occult circle faded from existence, leaving him to admire the two newcomers quietly and in despair. From the moment the man stepped through until now, he had tried to go for his radio, but failed to twitch as much as a single muscle.

"I wouldn't know, Lucifer. I could count the times I've worn a suit on one hand and still have some fingers left over."

He seemed truly offended at the comment and proceeded to stalk up to her, lightly poking her collarbone with his index finger as she crossed her arms and looked at him with amusement dancing in her eyes.

"Now, that's a travesty that needs correction. Don't you worry, I'll immediately contact my tailor as soon as we are done razing this abominable piece of feces from the planet. Threatening me with my daughter will be the last mistake he'll ever make... Now, who do we have here? A little sentry? Hmm... Your Soul isn't nearly dark enough to warrant eradication... Rather, it's the opposite. What is an upstanding fellow like you doing in such a filthy example of humanity's filth?"

With abject horror, Ben watched the man frown and come closer. His gait was confident and smooth, and clear purpose radiated from his form. Just who did Le Mec offend?! The man softly touched his chin with his index finger and raised it to force him to look into his eyes. They were of an intense brown and they gleamed with an inner light, showing a capacity for an untold number of emotions. The deeper he looked, the more he could see. Starlight seemed to radiate from the innermost part of his eyes, igniting into a cosm that was contained by the form of this man. It seemed impossible to cram an infinite cosmos into a single person and yet, that was what he saw. He felt his mind fray from overload and yet, he failed to avert his gaze. Just as he was on the verge of snapping, the man's smooth baritone gently coaxed him back to sanity.

"My apologies. My control was tested severely earlier today and I fear I am not yet fully contained. I promise it won't happen again. Now, please do tell me. What is it you truly desire? Show to me the deepest and darkest wish in your heart."

He failed to resist before even trying to mount a defense. Whoever he was, this man was beyond convincing. Those few words pulled from him the heart-rending pain he hadn't even shared with his closest friends.

"I... I just want him to be happy. He raised me alone, my Da did. Ma died when I was just a wee babe and he shouldered the responsibility alone. Did his best too. Strict, he was but he never laid a hand on me. Showed me how to be a proper man. Now he's dying an' I can't do anything 'bout it. Can't pay for his meds, can't pay for therapy, can't even pay the hospital costs. He deserves rest n' got suffering instead. 'ts not fair, I tell ya."

The man's eyes were unreadable for a long moment before he closed them with a silent sigh. When he reopened them, there was a quiet resolve in them, contrasted by the wry smirk on his lips.

"Ah, Enid has truly made me too soft if any random sob story manages to ignite my compassion even in the wrathful mood I find myself in. So be it, young man. Your father will receive help. As a recompense, you will endeavour to live a full and morally upstanding life. Now, be a dear and wait as I regrettably put you out of a job."

He found it hard to breathe in his presence, but the warmth that invaded Ben when the words 'So be it.' fell upon his ears was reassuring and comforting. The dichotomous sensation of terror and comfort warring within was a disturbing one, but the light tap against his cheek dispelled much of it under the amused glance of the dangerous woman before she turned away and followed the man with the graceful posture of a cat hunting a mouse. 'She's more of a leopard though...' he thought to himself as he took in her leather-clad backside.

He was certain she swayed her hips like that on purpose so he didn't feel too bad for looking at what she freely offered. He was a hot-blooded male after all. The thought that her arse was almost as hypnotising as the galaxy in her boss's eyes, he decided to keep to himself though. An act he was glad about as soon as the door to their base ended up as molten slag after a negligent gesture from the dark and handsome guy. He certainly didn't want to provoke either of them.

~Michael~

The screams of terror and pain didn't bother him much as he observed the scenes from the small pocket dimension he'd created for that specific purpose. He couldn't help the frown on his brows when he realised that he couldn't grasp his twin's limits any longer. The means he had given this mercenary band should have at least made him struggle a bit in the constraints of this dimension, but he dealt with it all with a casual indifference that belied his mounting fury. They were always similar in power and after his shameful defeat during the Rebellion, he threw his everything into furthering his skills. And yet... When he looked at his brother, all he could think now was 'unfathomable'.

Why was that? He couldn't possibly have advanced himself at a rate so far beyond himself that their gulf was insurmountable, could he? What use was this little test if it didn't show him any usable information? Just how utterly useless was the cur he hired? Mazikeen, his brother's loyal dog, was ripping through their mundane forces like the proverbial hot knife through butter. Which was a rather fitting comparison, all things considered. She did use Infernal Fyre to heat up her instruments of death. His brother took on the supernatural side of things and did so with an ease he couldn't have repeated himself.

The frown on his brows deepened. It wasn't just the presumed unfathomable power that was hiding behind the slightly less handsome frame of his twinned brother. Something else seemed different. There were several times in history where he descended upon earth to observe him from the shadows when he took some time off from his Infernal Duties, giving him a rather complete picture of the changes he went through after his Banishment.

He always felt vaguely uncomfortable when he took in the bitterness and underlying hopelessness in all his actions. The way he indulged in Sin and rebuffed the virtues once so essential to his character displeased him, but Father's command to let him be was a clear and irrefutable one. For some reason, that command was retracted recently. Or rather, replaced. Instead, he was urged to descend and test his mettle. Whyever that was, he didn't know back then. Now, a faint sense of realisation settled in his Soul however.

'The last time I watched him was a mere two centuries ago. What could have had such a profound impact on him in such a short span of time?' He wondered to himself as he took in the random acts of Compassion and Mercy towards those with redeemable souls while those with permeating darkness staining their immortal spirit were slaughtered mercilessly. And yet, even his wrathful demeanour seemed less Sinful and more righteous in nature. It was the way his eyes gleamed with purpose and unyielding will that made him remember the state his Brother was in. 'Protective Fury' his realisation startled him and he fell into contemplation soon after.

The way he was now was reminiscent of Samael if he was entirely honest with himself. He once thought his twin's original form was forever lost and he mourned him as if he died in the war, but now, a faint glimmer of Hope ignited within his depths. Along with a fair amount of trepidation when he realised what this meant. 'He found someone else to go to war for. Is it his 'daughter'? I thought it was but a flight of fancy, but if he genuinely loves her...' He may have committed a mistake. He thought of it as a mere practical joke, to threaten his possessions before paying a surprise visit and riling him up playfully. He couldn't possibly be truly attached to a random mortal after all. But if she found a way into his heart... A hint of fear cooled down his heart of hearts before he could dispel it. The words in his mind rang with Truth and he sighed. As soon as his domain over Honesty confirmed his fears, he began to plan to make it up to his twin. He knew just how far he would go for his loved ones. He certainly did not want to end up on the business end of his Wrath once again without a very good reason.

So deep in his mind was he that he only realised the end of the massacre when no more screams echoed into his pocket realm. His attention turned to the battlefield, only to realise the absence of Lucifer, making him faintly alarmed. A presence emerged behind him and he gulped. Slowly, the Sword of Truth turned around and faced his twin who was glaring at him with unamused half-lidded eyes.

"Brother dearest. Give me a single reason not to eviscerate you and send you back to your precious Heavenly Host this very instant."

The faint warning Lucifer held in his eyes stopped him from indulging in his first impulse, namely to bluster out of the situation with bravado befitting the left hand of God. Instead, he subconsciously lowered his eyes just slightly, making his brother sigh exasperatedly.

"It... Was supposed to be a practical joke?"

He offered uncertainly in the face of the Devil's annoyance. Because as much as he reminded him of Samael, now that he stood directly in front of him he noticed the differences. His presence for one was stained with Infernal Energies, designating him as a chtonic deity. A Divine Entity of the Infernal Realms. Along with it, he found surprisingly potent Light radiating from his form. It was confusing to feel both, positive and negative energies in such harmony but he could only put the matter aside for now. The well dressed man looked at him as if he was an idiot, but before he even had a chance to bristle, he spoke.

"Hardiharhar, brother. I literally cannot stop laughing. Your use of morally corrupt human beings to threaten my loved ones truly brightened my day beyond measure. Father damnit, Mikey. Your sense of humour was always a bit skewed, but this takes the cake."

He glared at his presumptuous worse half heatedly. How dare he? Between grit teeth, he indignantly pressed out his answer.

"I will have you know that my sense of humour is perfectly fine, brother. It is you who fails to grasp the finer intricacies of my attempt at levity. It was always like this, you know? Whenever you played one of your precious pranks it was fine but woe is me if I try to do the same. I end up caked in honey and chicken feathers and everyone laughs. But when I put Uriel into the realm of neverending Darkness for a week, everyone loses their minds."

His dramatic speech was received by a mocking gaze, though the corners of his eyes had softened considerably. He resisted the urge to cross his arms in front of his chest like a petulant child and stood his ground instead. The tense mood was effectively broken apart by the helpless chuckle of his twin.

"You didn't change an iota over the past eons, Mikey... At least you didn't pout this time. Seeing the less handsome version of my face with such an expression always caused a deep sense of revulsion in me."

He had a wry smile on his face while shrugging and spouting preposterous nonsense. Michael sent him a glare that was handily ignored as Lucifer seemed to think of something before muttering.

"Might as well... How would you like to meet your nieces?"

Michael blinked, nonplussed at the sudden change of topic. Carefully, he thought it over. He was supposed to test Lucifer but not make contact. Which was fine since technically, Lucifer made contact with him as opposed to him making contact with his twin. He was still within the parameters given to him on this mission. Would he push it if he met the children that caught his brother's heart? Carefully, he asked.

"Are you certain you want them to meet me? I tried to get one of them abducted to destroy your foothold on earth after all. Not to mention that they may abandon you for your more handsome twin."

He didn't think he liked the genuine laughter his brother released at that statement any more than the usual mocking chuckle he became used to.

Chapter Text

~Enid~

Her eyes opened with a snap, feeling very lonely for a moment. It's been a long while since she slept well and truly alone and she didn't like it at all. She lacked the time to feel sorry for herself though. Determination flooded her when a single thought crystallised. This time she'd manage to fend her off. She pulled her silky blanket over her head, stopping the first assault in its making, and pulled her legs to her chest. 'One... Two... Now!' Like a spring releasing its tension, her legs snapped upwards, pushing the monstrous body above her. The power of her push was enough to cause a startled bark as she forced the monstrous dog into the air by perfectly redirecting her momentum from her jump onto the bed.

Using the moment of reprieve, she rolled off the bed and swiftly cocooned herself in the blanket in the process. With limited range of motion but added protection, she shuffled towards the bathroom. Her instincts made her dive to the left, causing her opponent to sail past her and into the wall as she rushed past when she realised that the hound was out of it for a short moment. She slammed the door to the bathroom shut, threw off the blanket, and cheered.

"Yes! I managed to stay dry today!"

Her victory dance distracted her enough to not notice the door handle being pushed down. Only when the second-in-command of Maze's Pack entered the room with a decidedly human deadpan expression on her canine face did she see her. An awkward chuckle left her lips as she froze mid posture.

"Uhm... Good doggy?"

She tried and got a snort of dry amusement for her efforts. What followed was screams for mercy, giggles, and sounds of disgust. Soon she sat on the bathroom floor, pouting at the large dog who looked decidedly proud of herself.

"Couldn't leave me with a single win, could you?"

She asked rhetorically and got a half-lidded smug stare in response. 'She totally learned that one from Dinah.' Enid thought to herself before sighing and going about her morning ablutions which included cleansing herself from the assault of a way too large tongue.

"Sometimes, I almost dislike you, Cherry."

She told the old hound who immediately raised her snout arrogantly in a way that clearly communicated what she thought of that particular statement.

"Yeah... You're right as always. I love ya, you old goof."

She scratched her under her chin after finishing her rituals and swung herself onto the back of the massive hound. Her movements were well practiced and she easily kept herself on the back with only some pressure applied by her knees as Cherona trotted out of the room and down the stairs. They immediately made a beeline towards the kitchen and Enid spied a dark and familiar form in the back of the room.

"Da!....ad?"

No. Something was wrong. This wasn't dad. He smelled the same, held himself the same way, and even the way he turned and smiled at her was flawlessly the same. But that wasn't him. It was wrong. Deep inside, a feeling of revulsion rose for the first time in her short life and her eyes sharpened, gleaming amber overtaking bright electric blue in a short few moments.

"Cherry, stop. That's not Lucifer."

Her command was followed without question, responding to the subconscious authority I. Her voice. She turned to the man, distant curiosity in her coldly gleaming eyes. Her claws were already unsheathed and her fangs were growing as she subconsciously readied herself for combat.

"You're not my dad..."

She asserted. There was no doubt in her statement and she saw his fake warm smile falter, giving way for a much colder look that disappeared in an instant. A wry smile pushed onto his lips as he tried to save his charade by answering.

"Why would you say something like this, darling? You wound me... Did I not...-"

Her lips pulled into a snarl as she commanded the stranger in front of her with viciousness dripping from her voice.

"Stop. I won't fall for it. You don't get to use his voice and his words. Tell me what you've done with my dad before I rip it out of you. Strip. By. Strip."

The guttural quality of her voice sounded downright bestial but she didn't care in this moment. Unknown to her, soft golden fur began to sprout along her spine and Cherona instinctively prostrated herself beneath her. Her presence filled the room and the savage intent in her words made the man's eyes widen. Her transformation stagnated and finally receded when another very similar and much more welcome voice echoed through the room from behind her.

"See, brother? She instantly saw through your ruse. As expected of my precious daughter. You may be capable of manipulating the Truth on a level that defies logic, but this little Morningstar is mine in every way but blood. Recognising your sham for what it is is an easy task for her. I'm so very proud of you, Enid."

She'd turned around, carefully examining him to make sure he was really who he claimed to be. When his last word fell, she was finally sure and flung herself at him with enough force to make him take half a step back. He must have noticed her subtle trembling because his eyes widened and then narrowed in self recrimination. He tightened his hold and sighed before whispering an apology into her ear.

"Interacting with my twin always brought out the worst in me. I'm truly sorry for having put you through this so thoughtlessly. I blundered severely and can only beg for forgiveness."

She wanted to tell him it was ok. That she didn't mind. But she didn't want to lie to her dad. It wasn't ok. She did mind. She thought someone replaced him with a well-made fake. Someone looking, sounding, and smiling just like him. It felt so wrong. Instinctively, she knew that only very few people would have noticed the difference and that thought was so scary, she almost cried. She didn't though. She needed to stay strong to not make him blame himself too much. Though a small part of her was resentful enough to consider it. That part of her wanted to punish him for the unintended cruelty. Instead, she simply held him tighter to make sure he really was here with her. Some minutes of silent reassurance later, she managed to loosen her hold a bit and turn to the daddy lookalike with distrustful eyes.

"So... Are you an alien body snatcher making a bet with my dad and if you win you get to replace him? If so then shoo. We only need dad and not a cheap copy."

The way his face went through several stages of shock and surprise before settling on an intense expression of offense almost made her giggle despite not being in the mood for it. She heard her dad's words and realised he was her uncle, but she thought if he was a big meanie who wanted to trick her, he deserved some of his own medicine. Her answer to his speechlessness was to stretch out her tongue and turn to push her face into her dad's shoulder. She knew she was behaving a bit spoiled but she couldn't help herself. Just this time, they deserved it. Eventually, her dad's chuckles receded and they went to the living room where breakfast was already waiting. Once on the ground, she hurried over to the Devil's twin and stretched out her hand.

"Hi! I'm Enid Morningstar and you are my uncle. I'm sorry for what I said earlier but you started it so... Even?"

He looked down at her suspiciously before taking her hand with a kind of distant fascination. That wouldn't do. She dashed forwards and clamped him.

"Welcome to the family. We have lots of aunties and uncles but a new one is always welcome! We can play boardgames or I can get Maze to show you how knife juggling works! Maybe dad will help you learn how to cook so that you can make delicious snacks for yourself and us? I can't wait to see what we'll get up to!"

She smiled up at his shocked face and giggled when he hesitantly petted her like a dog before turning to her dad.

"Uhm... Glad to be here? Lucy? I wish to acquire your assistance in dealing with your spawn. She is much too energetic for her own good. Mayhaps taking her out for a walk will bleed off some of this disgustingly bright energy?"

Lucifer's amused gaze still held the edge of guilt when it swerved in her direction, but that didn't stop him from answering in good humour.

"I fear that would only ignite the vast reserves she has. On some days, she manages a whole 12 hours of rigorous activity before finally calming down enough to sit. Be my guest if you want to risk it though."

The faint expression of horror that flitted over the familiar face tickled her funny bone and she snickered for some moments, drawing a resentful eye on herself. Carefully but swiftly, she scaled his body until she was on eye level with him, excitement shining in her electric blue gaze. Her uncle was taken aback by her bold approach but instinctively supported her body by winding his arm around her. She grinned at him while inviting the guarded man.

"Maze said she'd take me to get ice cream at the new parlour later on. You have to go with us! The scent that comes out of it is mouthwatering and I wanna share the experience with as many people as possible! Daddy already agreed and Cherry will get a portion too! We'll go when Trixie prays to dad to get her. Then we'll wake up Dinah from her two-day nap. It'll be glorious!"

Her uncle failed to breathe for a long moment and she was beginning to worry when he finally gasped slightly. His eyes softened in a way that was reminiscent of her dad's when she was excited about something and it was that moment where she finally truly accepted him in the fold. Up until now, he was curious and distant, but that small chink in his emotional armor allowed her to see the alien Soul behind it. He was struggling to understand what was happening.

He was lost in the eve of her dad's assertive behaviour when he was mostly just a snarky cuddly teddy bear. He couldn't grasp the boundless importance he put on his chosen family. But that small moment where he truly looked at her made her realise that despite his seemingly callous behaviour, he wasn't a bad man. He just had different values. Kinda like Wednesday and her family, only more extreme. She wanted to understand him and in turn, she'd help him understand her and the others. A soft glow, unnoticed by all but the man holding her securely, shone from her eyes as she smiled at him without falsehood. The Truth of the matter was that he was Family. And as such, he would be accepted unequivocally into her life.

"Lucy..."

The man intoned seriously, not averting his gaze from her in the process. The gravity of his voice made her dad perk up and Enid didn't need to look to know that his eyes were filled with curiosity and intrigue.

"I will steal your daughter away..."

Of all the things she'd expected, this wasn't among them. She supposed she should be worried but there was no malice in his gaze, only wonder and determination. Also, she knew her dad wouldn't let him.

"You will do no such thing, Brother! I warn you, if you make the attempt, it won't end well for you."

Lucifer's indignant voice almost made her laugh but she kept it down. She had a slight premonition as to what was about to happen. A mischievous twinkle she knew all too well sparked to life in her uncle's eyes. With a wink to her, he suddenly manifested and flared his Wings. Her dad's outraged cry followed them as he flashed away while refusing to relinquish his hold on her.

"Mikey!"

Her uncle's deed led to the most chaotic and fast paced game of tag she'd ever been part of and her joyous laughter echoed over several continents and dimensions, brightening the day of countless confused people.

~Michael~

Despite the feathers he lost in their final bout, he was as self-satisfied as was celestially possible. The differences his less handsome twin showed were charring in some way, but he was still just as easy to goad as always. Once Michael realised that he was hesitant to resort to violence against him despite the clear superiority he seemed to hold, it was the definition of ease to manipulate him into following his wishes. Of course he had to stay clear of his trigger points but he knew Lucy well. He was his twin after all. Wandering the narrow line of infuriating him and incurring his Wrath wasn't all that challenging.

He did notice that Lucifer was even more sensitive to family matters than usual though, and thus had to be even more careful in breaching topics even tangentially connected. He felt quite limited in his dialogue choices due to that fact and he had to confess to seriously disliking the limits this imposed. The merry chase he led his dear twin on managed to alleviate much of the stifling sensation in his chest however, and it allowed him to witness the wondrous picture of the strangely captivating child's unrestrained joy. He was fascinated the moment he began to draw parallels between his twin's younger self and the child he kept in his arms far longer than originally planned.

The magnetic sensation he felt peaked when he felt faint and illusive traces of Divinity latch onto his Grace. It was completely non-intrusive, only radiating a sense of understanding, curiosity, and Acceptance, fulfilling a yearning in him that he hadn't even realised himself. The way it attached to his Grace, feeling more like the gentle and somewhat clumsy caress of someone precious than a bond, set him at peace in a way he had never experienced in his long life. The closest he remembered was the way his Mother would sometimes let her fingers glide through his unruly tresses when he rested after another bout of mischief. 'No wonder my brother refused to hand her over to me... If I had the choice, I'd keep her to myself too.' He admitted to himself, though he knew that he lacked the option. He could feel it in the deepest part of his Soul. She would resent him if he took her away from all the Bonds she had woven. His Domain was the one of Truth among others, and it confirmed his guess with crystal clarity.

As such, he would have to be satisfied with playing only one part in the weave she seemed so intent on creating. Being part of something so... encompassing was fascinating in its own right, so his complaints were cursory at best in nature. Faintly, it felt like the sensation of following Father's plans, though far more forgiving and accommodating. He wondered if she realised what she was doing. Binding so many mighty figures to herself without care and acting as the catalyst to allow their interactions to remain peaceful. People who wouldn't have met otherwise except perhaps as opponents on a vast battlefield suddenly communicating peacefully... He could see how his may shift the Fate of entire Realms. The way her presence permeated some of this world's strongest forces while being comparatively weak herself was beyond captivating for him, and the curious puppy like quality of her budding Grace indicated that this was only the start. He very much looked forward to witnessing the results of whatever it was that would be created by the chaotic little girl.

He already realised that she wouldn't stay mortal. The unique conditions that supported her Ascension were obscured even to his Gaze of Truth, only adding to the Mystery and intrigue that was Enid Morningstar. Not being capable of unveiling the Truth of the matter was a novelty to him and it ensnared him even further in that strange weave. He understood that he was falling into an obsession, and he could have stopped it early by leaving without looking back, but whyever would he do that? It was the most refreshing experience he had in the past eons and he certainly wouldn't shy away from it. Decisive was an adjective that was used fairly often in conjunction with his name among other, less flattering additions, and he wouldn't make liars out of his siblings. That would have been an uncouth thing to do.

Now, as he sat in an Ice Cream Parlour for the first time in his life, and with only one other person as company while the others went to choose their treats, he wondered just why the stare of his brother's second daughter was this uncomfortable. Her unblinking eyes never left his form as soon as they fell upon him. They were calculating, knowing, and distantly dangerous. She was mortal, though stained with his brother's Light in a way that would over time rectify that particular flaw. And yet, he felt threatened. As if he was naked in front of her unfathomable attention. He was not quite affected by it in the same way as he felt in front of his Father, but the sensation was similar enough to alarm him. She hadn't spoken up to this moment, which was the reason he was slightly startled when she initiated dialogue.

"You are a strange one, aren't you? Your timelines are the most chaotic I've ever seen. They are so wildly different from each other that it gives me a sense of vertigo to look at multiple ones at the same time. Past, Present, and Future are all jumbled up and your personality fluctuates from one extreme to others seemingly at the drop of a hat. You're one messed up fellow."

Her words were kept monotone and he had trouble reading her mood, but the information contained in them finally made him grasp why he felt the way he did towards her. She was a clear-sighted oracle, with her gaze guided and illuminated by his Brother's Light. She intentionally revealed her capabilities to him as a warning, he realised. Knowledge was power. The fact that a large part of his Grace was supported by the aspect of Truth, allowing him to manipulate a considerable part of that particular domain which elevated him into the upper echelon of the abrahamic Pantheon, confirmed that statement for him. She wasn't omniscient. No one truly was though Father came exceedingly close to it. If she pushed herself enough however, she could reach such a level for singular individuals. That made her dangerous in a way he hadn't expected. Distantly, the sense of danger he felt from her was similar to the one he sensed from his little brother Uriel. His grasp over patterns allowed for similar results, though achieved with different means. The inherent danger little Uri posed made his fear all the sweeter to taste. Turning his thoughts away from that particular... hobby of his, he regarded the deceptively dangerous child with a smirk, and answered.

"Well, Lucy did describe me as hopelessly unhinged... I will not refute his words. I am self aware enough to understand that I am not quite... normal as they say. It doesn't bother me however, and neither does it seem to bother your sister. I wonder why that is..."

Her reaction to his words and the somewhat provocative grin he had adapted was, well, nonexistent would fit he supposed. She simply continued to stare at him with half-lidded eyes, seemingly lazy but with an underlying intensity that threatened to make him shiver. Theoretically, he could snuff out her little life without even lifting a single finger, but if he did that, his life would be forfeit. The Truth of that thought reverberated through his very being, clear and irrefutable. He wouldn't survive the act. It was a simple Truth of the universe they were residing in. Not just because of Father's rules. In fact, he could have probably avoided persecution by them if he truly desired to do so. No, he would meet his end by Lucifer's unending Wrath. Unforgiving and relentless, he would pursue him, ripping apart the very seams of the universe to end his existence in the most painful way possible. Nevertheless, the reason he stayed his hand wasn't solely the unavoidable danger this decision would impose.

The child's predisposition was a large reason too. The feeling she woke in him was irritating and the restriction on his actions intensified the sensation, but somehow, he couldn't help but respect her resolve. It was clear that she was manipulating the circumstances with her life on the line. He did contemplate how to arrange for her unfortunate passing without being directly involved and he wondered if it was worth the risk before deciding that no, it wasn't. He was certain she'd seen timelines where his decision tilted the other way. His realisation and respect of the risks she took just to keep him in check added heavily to his decision of sparing her and the versions of himself that realised that fact later or never probably killed her either directly or through different means. A glint entered her eyes and a faint smirk played on the edge of her rather thin lips before she finally turned her eyes away and began to lazily observe the people in the parlour while resting her head on her forearms. Amusement and the feeling as if something had unshackled around him flooded his being and he breathed in wonder for a long moment.

Relief was a sensation quite alien to him. Usually, he was the one in full control. After all, manipulating the odds with his grasp over the Truth of the World was a rather potent cheat in that regard. When the feel of the metaphorical weight of her gaze left him, the sensation of relief spread through him. It was a peculiar one and he noted that it didn't at all feel bad. The prerequisites were unpleasant to fulfill however. His thoughts ended on a strange note when the other members of their little rag-tag group returned. Mazikeen's glare was far easier to endure than little Dinah's and he smirked back with a provocative wink that made her roll her eyes with a scowl as they collectively sat down after placing the heavy load they bore on the table.

The amount of sugar suddenly entering his presence appalled him, but to each their own, he supposed. The sundae in front of him was on the fruity side of things, being a mixture of different citrus flavours with peach and strawberry to mellow out the acidity. The entire frozen confectionery was 'tastefully' decorated with colourful sprinkles that were an absolute necessity according to the little fledgling. Since it was the first time he had Ice Cream, he decided to trust her opinion. According to his grasp of the Truth, she believed her own words at least.

After trying a spoon, he hummed when the mellow taste spread on his tongue. He was quite satisfied with the choices Enid made for him and let her know with a genuine smile that was returned far more radiantly. 'They truly are alike... Well, except for her choices in fashion.' He mused as he actively avoided visually taking in her garments and idly wondered if she had planned her outfit to represent as many flavours of the parlour as possible. If so, it was certainly a success. There weren't many colours on display that she hadn't represented on her garments. She even managed an accurate representation of the Fantastic Lemon Melon Bomb. A faint snort of amusement coming from little Dinah's nostrils as she shortly glanced at him made him wonder if she guessed his thoughts. As he put those thoughts out of his mind, he noticed Enid's mood shift. It wasn't a turn towards the negative, more a shift towards melancholic shores.

"What plagues your mind, little one?"

He felt compelled to enquire and received a sigh and a woeful blink as answer.

"I just wished Trixie and Wednesday could've made it, but Trix is spending time with her dad and Wednesday is having fun in the Grand Canyon. I don't wanna interrupt them, you know? But it's fine! We'll visit this place next time! And you'll have to join!"

She rebounded remarkably quickly and it seemed entirely genuine too. He surreptitiously glanced at the other members of their unlikely posse and none of them seemed bothered by the fact that her mood seemed akin to a rubber band. 'I guess it is part of her personality then?' He wondered before letting go of the thought.

"We need to take home some of this stuff for Auntie Azzy and Sisterella! Then they can feed each other again! Last time was so cute!They were all blushy and shy!"

She vibrated in her seat, rambling about adorable girls doing adorable things in adorable ways while he had a metaphorical question mark above his head.

"You interacted with our most dangerous baby sister? How come?"

He asked, unable to keep his curiosity in check. The answer was less than satisfactory but the expression with which it was delivered made him refrain from digging after a real answer. With a look that screamed 'obviously, duh.' she told him matter-of-factly.

"She needed cuddles."

There was exactly zero relevant information in that statement and yet, it rang with Truth. If he'd been physically capable of experiencing it, his blood pressure might have risen considerably when he realised that all the others on the table were knowingly smirking. Some were more subtle like little Dinah, but his brother beamed into his face like the Lightbringer he was. 'I do know how to provoke him, but the opposite is evidently true too...' He leaned back and pouted, causing an appalled expression to appear on his brother's face for a short moment before he changed the topic after clearing his throat.

"Be that as it may, one question does pose itself to me and I think I speak for most of our companions when I ask: Sisterella?"

The younger Morningstar answered with a shrug before explaining.

"Sisterella chose her own nickname. She said it's chosen after her favourite fairy tale and it's what her brothers called her before they became mean. I like it so I use it. Especially since she always smiles so genuinely when I do. I like making people happy and if all it takes is doing something I like, all the better."

With an enlightened expression on his slightly less handsome face, Lucifer went back to his Nutty Delight, Pistachio Style with extra hot caramel sauce. He too had to endure a truly inhumane amount of sprinkles, but he took the addition with good grace. Michael thought for a moment and frowned before turning to the little brat who captivated him.

"Why did he receive a comprehensive and logical explanation while you left me out to dry with a single nonsensical sentence?"

She blinked up at him with innocence shining out of her eyes before tilting her head just right to support the illusion. With a smile that communicated clearly that there would be no molten butter in her mouth in the upcoming future, she answered.

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean, uncle. I gave you all the relevant information. She needed cuddles. That's it."

His left eyebrow twitched when her statement once again invoked his Domain. She then turned back to the monstrosity that was her confectionary choice. The thing was probably half her weight and most of it was sugar. That was after she inhaled a considerable amount of it. Were she a normal human being, he would have already heard the screams of agony, transitioning into resentful death-throes from her pancreas. As it was, she seemed to have no problems consuming her own weight in frozen treats. As she languidly enjoyed the sugar bomb, he could see a playful smirk hiding in the corner of her lips and inwardly grumbled about the audacity of his niece. The proud look his Brother shot in her direction didn't help matters at all.

~Amenadiel~

Content. He felt content. His steadily growing feelings for Linda kept him warm and cozy in all situations, his relationship with both, Azrael and Lucifer was at an all-time high, and his Mother communicated with him and didn't resort to any kind of verbal barbs he didn't immediately understand... Well, if she did, he didn't notice and that was enough for him.

The addition of three adorable little girls to his eternal life made him glad that Lucifer was as impulsive as he was. Nothing he was experiencing right now would have happened if Enid didn't completely upend their lives like the most adorable natural disaster of all time. Seeing his baby brother interact with his daughters woke faint stirrings in his ancient heart. A yearning for something similar... His gaze fell on the woman using his shoulder as a pillow. For someone as old as him, the pace at which their relationship developed seemed almost instantaneous, but never before had anything felt as right as this. He would sacrifice his immortality to have a mortal lifetime with her, that much he understood quickly.

He knew he was simple in some regards. Once he decided she was the one, everything fell into place for him. A fast pace wasn't necessarily bad. Father knew that humans had far too few years available to them. The earlier they found each other, the more time they could spend together. Who knew? Maybe the permanent contact with all those powerful beings would expand her short lifespan a bit? It was a fool's hope, but no one ever claimed him to be smart. 'Well, that's not quite true. Lucy told me once he thinks I'm actually a genius but too lazy to properly think... I still don't know if he was being sarcastic or not...' His lips were pulled into a wry smile as he held Linda tighter to himself and enjoyed the sensation of her burrowing into his side for warmth. Yes. He was content with his current life. Which was why he hadn't confronted Michael yet. He knew he was in this Realm, but he feared his chaotic nature and how it would impact their cozy lives.

Of course, he had offered his assistance in dealing with him to Lucy, but he waved him off and told him everything was under control. While Amenadiel was a bit sceptical about that, he also realised that with Lucy's new-found Harmony, he was the best choice to face his twin. 'I wonder if Enid can tame him...' He pondered, bemused by the sudden thought. His own emotions towards their brother were... complicated.

The man could be the sweetest brother of them all one day, and the following he was suddenly in a sadistic mood, throwing his siblings from mountain tops with chained Wings while laughing maniacally. 'That may be a bit of an over-exaggeration, but not by much. That chaotic piece of Celestial dung can be a severe pain in the arse.' He groused inwardly. The Sword of Truth, he was called, and among his Domains, Truth remained the strongest. It was one of the few abilities among Celestial beings that counted as Reality-breaking. Mother once speculated that Lucy's compulsion to never lie was at least partly his twin's fault. Obviously, since they were twins, they shared a deep bond. Whereas Michael's eyes were permanently illuminated by Lucifer's Light, making him witness things that probably added to his unstable mindset, Lucifer's Soul was shackled to the Truth, deepening their reliance on each other. At least that was the theory Mother had back in the day when they were a Family. Twins were exceedingly rare among higher beings and they always had some peculiarities. The sleep-drunken voice of the formidable woman resting on his side dispelled his spiraling thoughts.

"Mmmh, stop thinking so much, you big lug. It doesn't suit you. Lucifer can take care of himself and the others are no slouches either. If the little rainbow can't win him over and Lucifer fails to subdued him, you can't do much either. Now cuddle with me and go to sleep."

He ignored the fact that Linda had just indirectly insulted his mental capabilities, and hummed with contentment before kissing the top of her head while feeling her warmth. She was right after all. He was more of a doer than a thinker. Whenever he plotted and schemed, things went awry rather quickly. Instead of overtaxing his mind, he decided to take things as they came. He would defend his current lifestyle with everything he had, should his brother become a threat, but until it happened, he'd enjoy what he had. One simply can't worry all the time. It wasn't healthy and his mental health would suffer, which was a travesty not allowed to happen by his significant other. For some reason, his mental stability was a point of pride for her.

"Yes, yes. Listen to the pitiful mortal and stop doing things you aren't suited for, Brother. She speaks the Truth, after all."

Scathing words were delivered with faint amusement and Amenadiel's empty eyes fell upon the form of Michael. He was sitting in the comfortable chair in the corner of the room with his legs crossed. The relaxed way he lounged on the piece of furniture reminded him of a self-satisfied cat, which paired well with the wide smirk on his lips. Amenadiel's mind was racing with the implications but it ground to a halt when he heard the indignant and irritated voice of Linda.

"Do you mind?!"

Her eyes were spewing fire. She had pulled up the blanket to hide her assets thankfully, and her entire posture was rigid as she glared at the powerful Celestial. This was the first time he saw her well and truly incited and he had to admit, it was hot. This was, however, not the time for such idle thoughts.

"Oh, I don't mind at all my dear. Your form is aesthetically rather pleasing after all."

He glared at his brother with some heat in his eyes. He had a healthy amount of respect for the insanity that was Michael, but he certainly wasn't a doormat.

"Don't push too far, Brother. You know as well as I do that you might suffer if you chose to tangle with me. There was never a clear winner between us but that might not continue to be the case if you truly enrage me."

There was some faint amusement in his eyes before they lost any and all levity, exuding a gravity that seemed stifling in it's nature. The bedroom shifted, seemingly falling into a caricature of reality. It reminded Amenadiel of why he hated battling Michael even more than he hated fighting Lucifer. It was impossible to trust one's senses when you were in the Archangel of Truth's domain. The only thing putting Amenadiel on the same level was the combination of his formidable battle instincts and his control over Time. Even in a Realm of Truth, he was capable of wrestling control over the fundamental concept.

"Here I am, visiting my elder brother to show my filial piety since he does not seem to deem me worthy of his presence. And what do I have to endure? The indignity of receiving scorn from a lesser creature. As if you have the right to scorn the Divine."

He scoffed with derision before turning his glare onto Linda. Amenadiel could shield her from the influence of Michael's Divinity, but his presence was still bearing down on her. As of yet, she managed to hold out, but he couldn't help but worry. He knew she was exceedingly stable and she knew herself well, but Michael was well versed in playing with the mind.

"It seems that mortals around Lucy tend to forget that Divinity is not bound by mundane law. They seem to neglect the fact that each and every one of us Celestials is capable of squashing the vast majority of humanity like the bugs they are. And most of all..."

His presence grew to a level where Amenadiel feared that he was truly serious about engaging him. As of yet, he held the hope that this wasn't the case. That he was just fooling around as per usual. But now... 'What's going on?!' He thought frantically as Michael stepped closer with malice shining in his ice-cold eyes. Shielding Linda from his influence took a toll and he wasn't sure if he'd manage to repel him while protecting her. 'If push comes to shove, I'll have to temporally displace her before showing him why I am known as the Fury and Righteousness of God...' Even though he was confused, he felt his determination solidify and he began to prepare his move.

"... You mortals truly lack Respect."

He spat the word into Linda's face as if it was the greatest vitriol, but she didn't back down and continued to glare at him while answering with a surprisingly steady voice in the face of mortal peril at the hands of a being beyond mortal understanding, making pride for her achievement rise within him.

"Respect is earned, not freely given. You would do well to remember that. Both of your brothers do a good job at that, showing compassion and earning the goodwill of the people. They show that kindness is a strength of its own and that one doesn't need to use overwhelming Power to suppress others. They earn respect and awe with their personalities and their deeds and they have no need to rely on inborn might to cow those they deem lesser than them. Tyrants never survive long. People will always rise against the yoke of a despot. Humanity loves its freedom far too much to not rebel. It is a God-given gift after all."

His Brother's unreadable gaze made Amenadiel even more nervous and he was moments from preemptively sending Linda away. That was until Michael's gaze turned annoyed but resigned and he sighed. He muttered some silent words with a voice too low for even his enhanced hearing to perceive. He then turned around without addressing either of them, unleashed his Wings, and left with a flash. In an instant, the bedroom returned to its usual state and he instinctively took his shivering beloved into his arms to calm her down. Once she finally had herself under control again, she looked at him with a complicated gaze.

"What... What was that even about? My instincts told me I'd die if I backed down. He was genuinely about to kill me..."

Witnessing her shaken mental state, Amenadiel's eyes hardened as a strange silver Corona manifested around them. Never again, he promised himself. He recognised that if he wanted to protect their lifestyle, he'd need to become stronger. Such thoughts were for a later date however. Gently, he whispered to reassure her.

"I wouldn't have let it come that far. I would have sent you away earlier but I had hope that he wouldn't escalate beyond words. He always was... erratic, let's call it. Predicting him will forever be a challenge."

Despite his words, he couldn't help but frown. Something must have triggered him to make him this unstable. Usually, there were at least some warning signals before he went off the rails, but this time, he went from jovially joking to murderous in an instant. 'Did encountering Enid shake his mentality or something?' He was truly confused. What was going on?

~Azrael~

With crossed arms and a stern visage, she stood in front of her brother. The deceptively friendly grin on his lips failed to distract her from his clearly unsettled mind. Warnings of impending deaths flowed through her mind only to get revoked an instant later. The man facing her was the reason for the phenomenon, and she was determined to put an end to it.

"Get a grip of yourself, moron."

She sharply commanded him, exasperated with the state he was in. Few things were as distracting for her as unstable beings with the capacity of boundless death. Michael was one such being. On his fingertips, he held the Fate of so many people. With a snap, he could change the rules of the universe. His control over Truth wasn't quite conceptual, but it wasn't far off and for most beings, it might as well be. The faintly deranged smile on his lips fell into a frown as he regarded her. She suppressed a sigh.

"What's going on with you, Mikey? You usually have yourself better under control. Is it something I can help with?"

She tried a softer approach and for a moment, it seemed to work as his brows furrowed in confusion. Then, a fierce scowl pushed onto his lips and he began to rant at her with stormy eyes.

"I can understand little Enid. She is truly remarkable. A budding self-made Celestial of all things. Marvelous really. There may even be a valid argument for his second daughter. Dinah is... peculiar. She too will probably reach at least for immortality, though with far more comprehensive support. The Miracle's brood... Fine. I'll accept it out of courtesy for my twin though she certainly doesn't deserve the regard. But whyever do you all decide to keep such unremarkable mortals as pets? Are you trying to bore yourselves to death?"

His incredulous expression was mirrored by her own face. That was it? That was the reason he had a chip the size of Australia and just as deadly on his shoulder? Her eyes narrowed and her temper well and truly ignited, much to his chagrin.

"Listen here you bloody winged rat. No! You'll stay silent until I'm through with you!"

Without noticing, the finger she poked him with touched upon the Concept under her control. A twinge of guilt at his wince was immediately crushed by the irritation she felt from his unnecessarily condescending attitude.

"There will be far more of that if you don't get your superiority complex in check. Now listen here, dipshit. You may be my brother and I love you to Death, but you can be such a condescending asshole. The humans in our lives are remarkable in their own right, as are all mortal races. Every single one of those short-lived creatures is unique and special. No two individuals are alike. I would know as I get to witness every single one of their deaths."

Her irritated demeanour softened slightly. She didn't want to just vent her frustrations again him. She wanted him to understand. So she channeled her own point of view into her words as she implored.

"They all face their end in different ways, and it's an honour to be allowed to witness their passing. And just as much of an honour is it to observe their lives. In a few short years, they oftentimes reach a remarkable level of skill in the disciplines they chose for themselves. There were masters of their craft among mortals who transcended the limits of what should have been possible. Don't you dare call those remarkable people boring."

Her eyes bored into his, and she saw a hint of uncertainty in their depths. She suppressed a smirk and stepped into his personal space. His Pride didn't allow him to back away, so she suddenly stood toe to toe with him, causing her to have to crane her head to look into his eyes. 'I could have planned that one better...' She acknowledged but forged on, ignoring the faint amusement in his knowing eyes.

"You may argue that those were a rare few individuals with exceptional talent but that's not quite true. There are countless people out there quietly defying logic with their skills without demanding attention. There are doctors saving lives all but lost, ripping them away from my impending grasp. There are pilots steering hundreds of tons of metal safely through the air, delivering people from one end of the earth to the other. There are so so many impressive feats to be witnessed if you just open your bloody eyes!"

She huffed up at him, irritated by his stubborn defiance. She could see he was interested in her words, but she also knew that he wouldn't consider them until she truly convinced him. So she followed up.

"It isn't the skill in their chosen disciplines that truly impressed me though. It's their endless capacity for both, good and evil that is boundlessly fascinating in my eyes. The way they love is deep and without limits, be it familial, platonic, or romantic. It's completely addictive and contagious. And it's the same way with Hate. Fury. Grief. Compassion. The complete spectrum of emotions, they experience it with ridiculous intensity. We can learn much from them, I think. Without Ella, Linda, and Enid, I wouldn't be as pulled together as I am. I would still be borderline depressed with suicidal tendencies but without the means to actually finish the job. I have them to thank for my mental health and the happiness I've been able to enjoy for the first time since the Rebellion."

She ignored the 'Aww!' in the background and continued laying the foundations for Michael's change of heart. 'If Enid can do it, I can too.' She told herself and pushed on.

"So open your eyes and really look. Don't just give them a cursory glance before writing them off as meaningless and short-lived baggage as you are prone to do. No, try and understand. Maybe talk with some, cultivate a relationship, live a little instead of just existing. For someone with almost complete control over the Truth, you can be pretty dishonest with yourself sometimes."

She crossed her arms and glared at him with a bit of heat, but not nearly as heatedly as she did at the start of their argument. The serious atmosphere was dispelled when the third person in the room decided to make herself known.

"And now, kiss."

A shiver of revulsion went through her entire body as she jumped away from an amused Michael. She turned her glare to Ella, who was observing their siblings squabble with keen interest while sitting comfortably on the plush loveseat they'd bought for themselves. She was entirely too cozy and shamelessly continued to steal Azrael's Ice Cream after finishing her own, even after she started glaring at her. Of course, the glare was intentionally misinterpreted by the most infuriating woman in her life.

"... It's my Ice Cream now. Though... If you beg nicely, I'll feed you some mouth to mouth."

A faint but uncontrollable blush spread on Azrael's cheeks as mortification settled in her Divine gut. Whenever Ella opened her mouth, it seemed to invoke immense emotions. She had precisely zero filters and she was a bit tipsy which shifted her filter-capabilities into negative dimensions. 'I just wish she'd pay a bit more attention to the mood and the setting...' She bemoaned, only to release a wounded whine when she just didn't. Stop. Talking.

"Also, I'd totally have kissed you before when you confessed being happy because of me, but your older brother is literally in front of us and I fear that his shovel talk is actually dangerous. Like, he'll skip the talk and straight up bury me."

A low chuckle from Michael added to her suffering, but she snapped out of it when he asked.

"Your human seems rather interesting I'll admit. Can I borrow her? Or maybe you'll share?"

Judging by Ella's playfully considering look, she thought he was joking, but Azrael knew better. He totally wasn't. So before her treasure could say anything ambiguous that would land her in an incestuous ménage-á-trois with her borderline sociopathic brother and the woman who was probably the love of her life, she snapped at him.

"No. She's mine. Get your own."

Ella looked flatfooted for a moment before a teasing smirk spread her lips apart. She thankfully kept it to herself for the moment but Azrael had no doubt that as soon as the overpowered moron she called brother left, she'd end up teased into oblivion. Said moron pouted for a moment before waving mirthfully while manifesting his Wings.

"It's been a pleasure my dearest sister, but I fear since you are unwilling to share, I will have to take my time to locate a suitable candidate or two. Enjoy the evening I've enriched with my presence!"

And gone he was. Her brows furrowed and she humphed. 'Good riddance...' She thought before turning around and grumpily staring at the woman in her life. 'Why can't I stay mad at her when she's looking at me with such an infuriating smug smirk?!' She questioned herself before sighing and plopping down besides her without warning, making her scramble to save the stolen goods in her hands.

"Careful there! I almost spilled it all over my top! Or maybe that was the plan? Is this your cunning stratagem to get me out of my clothes? You know very well you only need to ask my little adorable deathbringer munchkin. I'll only go full monty for you, my dear. No need to be jealous."

And there it was. While she didn't know what going full monty meant exactly, and why she used a fake British accent for those words for that matter, she could deduce the meaning from the context. Already, she felt the head crawl up her cheeks and she frantically searched for a solution to stop the teasing avalanche before it could truly become an unstoppable force that would bury her. A spark of brilliance went off in her head when she realised that there was only one weakness she could exploit in this very moment. Ella's weakness to the truth. She softly leaned into her side, surprising her with the gesture, and glanced up with her cheeks still glowing slightly.

"It's true, you know? You're my anchor. The person I rely on for emotional stability. Enid may have gotten me out of my funk in combination with Lucy's forgiveness and Amy's compassion, but it was your willingness to let me make amends that introduced me to joy. It was your continued acceptance and desire for my presence that allowed me to tentatively want something more. And it was your 'Finally! I thought I'd have to take the first step!' that filled me with such profound happiness that I thought I may overflow with it. Thank you for allowing me in your life..."

Ella was speechlessly staring at her for a very long moment before diving into her side, forcing Azrael to catch the airborne Ice Cream before it could cake them in sticky cream. 'That was far more ambiguous than I thought it would be...' She acknowledged as she began to enjoy her rightful bounty. Ella whined into her side, muffled from the fabric she had her face bunched into.

"No fair! I'm not drunk enough for sappy speeches like this! You can't say something like that and expect me to function afterwards!"

She hummed noncommittally and put another spoon filled with Chocolate Browny Caramel Delight into her greedy mouth. Truly divine. Thinking back to Ella's near-blunder, she decided to warn her for the future.

"By the way, Mikey's comment in regards to sharing was entirely serious. If you'd encouraged him we wouldn't have been able to fend him off for long. He's nothing if not persistent."

Ella removed her face from her side and blinked at her, surprise written onto her beautiful face. Soon, a grin appeared on her lips and she answered with a heavy dose of faked disappointment in her voice.

"Wait. Are you telling me your jealousy cost us an unforgettable threesome with Lucy's twin? Now that's regrettable. Shame on you, ma petit mort."

She received the slap to the back of her head with good grace and winked with a laugh before sighing and sinking onto her side again, only this time she was far more relaxed. Letting Ella's mood influence her, she too relaxed into the loveseat and pulled her closer.

"I'm serious though. Don't try and tease or play him. Michael thinks differently than most people and the ending of such a thing can be seriously unexpected. Not always in a good way either, obviously. Wait... isn't petit mort another way to call an orgasm?"

She blinked as another blush rose onto her cheeks as she took in Ella's smirk. The woman shrugged and told her in a playful manner.

"If the shoe fits, little death."

It seemed she hadn't entirely escaped the teasing game. The realisation elicited a longsuffering groan from her, making Ella nod with satisfaction radiating from her form. It didn't take long for her to slowly doze off however, and Azrael enjoyed the warmth of being trusted like this while consuming her treat. Life was good.

~Dan~

As he laid awake after a day filled with work and Trixie, he couldn't help but marvel at the changes his life went through in recent times. Thanks to the Devil himself, he managed to stay on the force, but was demoted all the way down to Beat Cop level. He decided to embrace this as a new start and promised himself to do better.

Against his own expectations, without the permanent voice in the back of his head that urged him to exceed, to climb the career ladder as quickly as possible, he felt far more centered. He even surprised himself when he refused a promotion a month ago on the basis that he didn't feel that he deserved it yet. Instead of jumping into the fray again, he decided to put more emphasis on building up a relationship with his daughter again. At the start, he feared that he wouldn't be welcome in the Devil's abode or that he would refuse to let him see Trixie, but those fears were quickly put to rest when he was received with a genuine smile by the Lord of Hell.

He was so very puzzled in the beginning and felt compelled to ask why he was allowed to spend time with his daughter when he was a sad excuse for a human being to begin with. The answer left him just slightly ashamed. With a gentle gaze towards the girl in question, he simply stated.

'Why Daniel, the answer is a simple one. It makes her happy. She craves a genuine bond to you just as much as she craves her mother's love and, admittedly, mine as well. Never fear that she doesn't have the space to love us all in her heart. She is similar to my precious Morningstar in that regard. Her capacity for emotion is truly remarkable and seems virtually endless.'

Lucifer then turned to him with pure Hellfyre in his eyes.

'But... Let me warn you, Daniel. They say Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned but believe me, those who claim that have never seen the father of an emotionally shattered daughter. Hurt her again and you will wish for Death so very dearly, only for no one to fulfill your wish. You will suffer beyond the cruellest means available to me in my very own Realm. I will find a way to make you crave for Hell.'

His resolute nod without avoiding his gaze pulled a small glint of approval from the ancient being before he sent him away.

'Now toddle along and make our daughter happy. That may have sounded a tad wrong but you understand the meaning.'

The joy on their little monkey's face when she noticed him brightened his day just as much as the ingrained wariness with which she treated him ripped his heart apart. He refused to let it show however and proved over the next few weeks that his new dependability wasn't just a mood. Whenever she allowed him to spend time with her, he would do so and he used several of his stocked up days off to stretch the time he had available. His dedication paid off and she finally looked at him without the barely hidden expectation that he'd be called away for work or some such. That was his happiest day yet, and he had Lucifer and his ex-wife to thank for it.

If they'd refused to let his douchy self into Trixie's life, he'd have understood. He would've been heartbroken but he would've understood. Instead, those fantastic and compassionate people went out of their ways to include him. He was invited to delightfully chaotic game nights. He was part of an entirely unintentional food war on Taco Tuesday, though that one was scary since one slightly pudgy boy he didn't know brought live grenades. He was even invited to go to Orca World with the whole family. The way they dealt with his presence in Trixie's life left him thoroughly humbled and her mind-numbingly happy. Her words, not his.

Now, after consulting with Chloe, Lucifer, and even Trixie, he decided to take the renewed offer of the promotion and thus re-entered the rank of Detectives. He refused to fall back into old patterns though, and demanded from the Devil that he may punch him into the face of it ever came to that. The vindictive glee and anticipation in his eyes when he heard that haunted his dreams several nights in a row, but he supposed that the fear would keep him on the straight and narrow, so he didn't mind much.

He had no idea why his brain suddenly decided to go on a bend and replay the memories of past few months for him but he certainly appreciated the uncharacteristically fluffy feelings they woke in his chest. He loved his daughter with all his heart. It just took him far too long to realise it as evidenced by the fact that he had told her so more often in the past six months than in the eight years before. Deep shame filled him at the thought but instead of allowing it to pull him into the quagmire of depression, he used the sensation to feed his determination. Never again. He would be there for her and that wouldn't ever change again.

Once that thought took root in his mind, he finally felt exhaustion encroach on him and surrendered to restful sleep. Until he was woken by his instincts screaming at him that he wasn't alone. His eyes snapped open and his sleep-drunken mind was severely confused by the pictures his eyes sent to compute. Leaning over him was a man with intense brown eyes. They seemed to slightly glow in the dark, enhancing the supernatural appearance of his handsome face. His features were familiar but he couldn't for the life of him explain his presence in his bedroom.

"Lucifer?..."

He mumbled and the man flinched back as if he'd slapped him before glaring at him with indignation and offense. When he talked, Daniel began to realise that this wasn't Lucifer at all. His voice was the same but the tone was entirely different. Slowly, small details filtered through his schooled mind that confirmed his guess. As did the man's words.

"If I didn't know that the ugly mug of my less handsome twin was the only reference that comes close to my Divine form, I would have smote you out of existence for the audacity of mistaking me for him. As it is, I will graciously forgive you. Now hold still for the inspection."

In his confusion he did what he was told, though his brows furrowed at the evaluating ramblings he heard.

"Hmm... Related to the legacy brat... Active member of Lucifer's posse, though quite new... Personality is supposed to be a bit boring but steadfast and determined... Seems eager to please... Appearance is... Hmm... passable I suppose... Well, you passed the evaluation, if barely. Congratulations! From now on you are allowed to proclaim yourself proud property of Archangel Michael! From today onwards, you are my personal human. Rejoice."

He told him with grave finality in his voice while Dan's mind was desperately trying to make sense of what was happening. It failed. His head landed on his pillow as he stared at the ceiling with dead eyes. 'What is my life?...' He asked himself despondently but found no answer.

"I gave you permission to celebrate and I expect you to follow my commands. Chop chop. You do not have to keep your joy contained."

'What an arrogant arse...'

Chapter Text

~Wednesday~

Her irritation was beginning to fester as her unamused glare pierced the obstacle in her way. A dark skinned young girl, just a few years older than her, with chaotic short black hair that was jarringly contrasted by a single poignant streak of bright violet. She returned the glare with amused eyes. Not wanting to waste more time than she already had, she resorted to her most practiced type of communication.

"If you do not move out of my way this instant, I will carve knives from the bones of your legs. I will then use those blades of very poor quality to skin you alive while keeping you conscious. Do not test me."

Her threat caused the girl on the opposite side to react. Regrettably it wasn't the desired outcome. Instead of inspiring potent fear and causing her to scramble away while nourishing her with her boundless terror, the girl's eyes gleamed with new-found interest as a cheshire grin spread her lips apart. Her answer well and truly ignited Wednesday's temper.

"Woah, you're intense... I've decided. From today onwards, we're besties."

Before she could even consciously contemplate the act, her blade was drawn and thrown with utmost accuracy. Who did this unknown brat think she was to claim her as a friend? Wait. What was she thinking about? Why was she standing in the corridor when she was on her way to greet Enid after leading military forces through a thrilling chase with her uncle as the indomitable victor? As always, Uncle Fester was overcome by the enthusiasm of spending time with his terrible niblings and managed to blow up the Desert View Watchtower in the middle of the night.

While destroying a historical landmark was bad enough, it didn't quite warrant a dogged pursuit by the military. Using a self-developed biological compound that exhibited a payload far beyond any modern explosives sans nuclear ones however... His claim of it being the fruit of a surge of inspiration after his second lobotomy, she would have doubted in any other man. Not in her uncle's case though. His special physical constitution was unique even by Addams standards. Neurological matter of his body regenerated in record time, and better than before too. This gave him a peculiar set of supernatural abilities.

By now, he had an overabundance of bio-electricity since his neurological pathways were far more potent and efficient than normal, making him an unconventional electrokinetic. His reflexes and reaction times were far beyond baseline humans and could easily keep up with transformed shifters. His hand-eye coordination could be called prodigious by any standard and he also boasted an IQ off the charts that was handily balanced by his steadily growing madness.

She loathed even thinking about it, but she loved spending time with the man. She had several reasons for her fondness of this particular relative. Whenever they sparred, he wouldn't stay his hand, pushing her to her absolute limits, for one. She appreciated feeling the edge of Death against her throat, stimulating her instincts beyond her limits. Then there was the fact that any and all activities they took part in while under his care were utterly chaotic. The erratic factor led her into the habit of expecting the unexpected, and it helped her stay calm in precarious situations. Additionally... She stopped her thoughts with a rare pronounced frown on her brows. Something... Wasn't right. She could feel a subtle influence on her mind. Something or someone encouraged her to think about anything but the one thing she seemingly forgot...

She could feel the influence try and retake complete hold after she discovered it, but she fended it off and viciously tore into it. She might not have fully awakened her psychic prowess, but she was a full member of the Frump lineage. Her mind was sacrosanct and she wouldn't stand for a foreign influence controlling it. A pained grunt from her left snapped her attention back to the arrogant little brat trying to dictate her choices. Who did she think she was? First, she tried to force herself into her inner circle by claiming them to be 'besties' and then, she tried to salvage the situation by using an obscure ability to direct her attention away from herself? If there was one thing she absolutely abhorred, it was having her mind influenced by others. She grit her teeth, barely restraining herself from showing this unworthy little brat just who she was messing with. 'This is the Devil's Den. She definitely isn't here without his approval. Until I know just who she is...' This time, her glare caused a flinch, much to her satisfaction.

"The next time you try to influence a mind, do make sure your meagre capabilities are actually potent enough to do so. That was a pathetic showing and you would have perished if you tried such a thing on any other member of my family, simply from the passive backlash of the attempt. Try to not show your worthless visage in front of me if you can help it."

She then pushed past the intimidated child with a volatile mood, storming towards the pull she associated with Enid. The intimate connection managed to calm her down to general levels of irritation, showcasing once again just how profound a bond they shared. The words of Grandmama once again floated through her mind. 'Terminal affliction... The best and the worst thing that could have happened to me...' She hadn't yet worked out just what she was hinting at but it was only a matter of time. Whatever sickness she contracted, she would use it to further herself and rise above her former self.

Abruptly, she stopped since the other end of their connection perked up like an alert hound. Enid noticed her presence, it seemed. Anticipation surged through her as premonitions of an embrace were fed to her mind. She shivered lightly, already feeling the phantom sensation of her cindering touch. The illusions woven by her overly active imagination came to a halt when she witnessed an almighty crash. Enid had miscalculated her speed and barrelled through the wall at the corner in front of her. If she didn't have a good grasp on her abnormal durability, she would have been worried. As it was, only a faint sense of amusement bubbled up in her, cutting through the leftover negativity from before.

"Always so eager to be in my presence. You truly do behave like a puppy. Shall I call you Mon Chiot from today onwards?"

She asked her after closing in on the crash site. A mop of blonde and purple hair over chagrined and curious eyes. She coughed a few times before sneezing, causing a dust cloud to rise before jumping up and turning her head slightly with a complicated look before turning fully to her with a smile shining through the dirt she had stained herself with. If any member of the Family had witnessed the soft way with which Wednesday observed her actions, they would have been instantly clued in what was happening. As it was, there were no witnesses and she would traipse in the dark for some time still.

"Sounds fancy, what does it mean?"

Enid's words were chipper, though they kept a certain wryness, most likely caused by the structural damage she inflicted on her home not too long ago. Wednesday watched her for a prolonged moment, judging if she should tell her or not. 'She'd just look it up if I don't.' She decided and told her with a strange intensity that captivated the dust-caked blonde.

"Oh, it perfectly describes your essence. It likens you to an excitable whelp, desperately vying for attention and always eager for affection."

Idly, she stepped closer and began righting her garments before meticulously removing the unworthy layer of dirt covering her form. Uncharacteristically, Enid stayed completely still, letting her work with surprisingly gentle touches.

"Mon Chiot is the pet name I chose for you. It's french and it perfectly describes your nature while claiming you as mine. Specifically, it states that from this day on, you are my puppy."

She stared into the electric blue eyes of her personal rainbow and observed her pupils dilate. Black consumed blue as Wednesday gently wiped off the stains on her cheeks with her thumbs. Enid leaned into the touch with slightly fluttering eyelids before opening them completely to stare back.

"... Sounds good to me."

She finally answered and Wednesday almost smiled. Something within her relaxed at the acceptance of her pet name. Enid herself had told her that friends often gave those to each other so she racked her prodigious brain to try and find the perfect one. And she discovered it, it seemed. That thought caused deep satisfaction to rise in her.

"You can't complain if I eat your shoes though. Puppies do that."

'What...' She replayed the memory in her mind and confirmed that indeed, she hadn't misunderstood. Enid decided that her dignity and freedom were worth less than the privilege of consuming her footwear. The chaotic mess of a girl in front of her grinned unapologetically under her scrutiny before letting it fade into a shy smile that was soon explained when she uttered a plea.

"I really wanna hug you right now. May I?"

Wednesday's hands never left Enid's face, so it didn't take much effort to let them fall on the shoulders of the colourful menace who promised her eternal companionship. Initiating an embrace was an entirely new sensation for her so she took her time, savouring the novelty of sinking into the searing heat waiting for her in Enid's embrace. As she felt the almost unbearable warmth consume her from the outside, her insides did not fare any better. As always when she fell into Enid's grasp, an all consuming inferno raged through her. Instead of bringing about the much wished destruction and mayhem, it seemed to nourish instead. Wherever it went, new and foreign sensations bloomed hesitantly, like her mother's self created breed of Black Satin Dahlias would in late autumn.

She learned many things about herself in Enid's embrace. Among those realisations was the ultimately simple fact that she enjoyed the sensation of being burned alive. If it was anything like what she was experiencing in this moment, being executed on a stake for witchcraft may be a pleasant way to go. Another epiphany was that Enid instinctively grasped the pressure she needed to be subjected to to feel comfortable in another's arms. She never needed to ask for her to tighten the hold, even in her sleep. There were many other little truths she discovered, and she genuinely looked forward to each and every one of those she had yet to discover. Every little detail would further her understanding of herself and Enid. A noble endeavour she could see herself devoting her life to.

After what felt like one eternity of many yet to come, she slowly left her puppy's arms, noticing with amusement that while she readily let her go, the movement communicated severe reluctance. 'What a needy pet I've got...' She mused as she gently pushed away from the Lycan who was evidently addicted to touch.

Light exasperation rose in her when she realised that she now shared Enid's filthy state. With a light sigh, she resigned herself, already having planned to take a short shower anyways after traveling with her uncle and brother in a stolen Ice Cream Truck to escape the authorities. How Uncle Fester managed to outmanoeuvre several state of the art vehicles with that old and decrepit truck was a mystery to her, but she ventured that there were several reasons he was her favourite uncle. Performing impossible deeds was as good of one as any other, so adding it to the list was no chore. Focussing on more important matters than reality defying driving skills, she asked after a meaningful downward glance.

"I suppose your permanent invitation extends to the bathroom facilities?"

As if she just noticed their rather unhygienic appearance, she startled slightly. A sheepish giggle pushed past her lips and dispelled any animosity she might have harboured, not that she was capable of mustering much of it in the presence of personified positivity. Instead, it left her in a moment of inexplicable serenity. All she knew in that snapshot of time was that the sound was a desirable one and that being the reason for it elevated her existence. Words flowed from the rainbow's lips and Wednesday listened attentively.

"Yeah, you can go first. I need to tell dad I've broken another one anyways. I hope he doesn't revoke my ice cream privileges..."

Wednesday's left eyebrow ticked upwards when she saw the genuine distress in Enid's eyes. Unwanted levity unfurled its disgustingly joyful wings in her chest as she considered just how many walls Enid must have broken to make the Devil utter such a threat, and for once she couldn't bring herself to completely despise the emotion. She was keenly aware of how indulgent he was in regards to the Heiress of Hell. Lucifer, the Lord of Hell who was known for his severe lack of Mercy towards his enemies, was putty in the hands of a little girl. When that knowledge spread in the underworld, it caused quite a commotion. Until her name was detected on the Infernal Manifest, and as Heiress no less. That caused any discontent to die down quickly enough.

In answer to her gracious offer, Wednesday nodded wordlessly but with gravity. Only after they temporarily parted ways did she notice that she forgot to inquire who the vexing... guest she encountered was. 'Later.' She decided. Now it was time for a freezing shower, followed by a blistering one. Or maybe she should switch it up today? No matter. She loved the opposing sensations of glacial cold and scalding hot in quick succession, but the order was of secondary importance. All that mattered was that it truly tended to awaken the spirits. And sometimes, she could even hear them howl.

~Enid~

Her hurried steps slowed down as her enthusiasm dampened slightly. She wanted to cuddle with her dad. Of course she did. There wasn't a moment in the day where she didn't crave to be held in his protective embrace. But... 'Will he really take away my Ice Cream Privilege?...' She bit her lower lip as she almost teared up at the thought. She knew she couldn't hide the hole in the wall. 'But maybe I can learn to repair it?' She tried to find an alternative but Big Bro Google dashed her hopes. DIY wall building was a thing but it took a while to learn the techniques and until she had a bit of experience, self-made patchwork would definitely be noticeable and not nearly as robust as it needed to be. With a heavy sigh, she stopped in front of her dad's office. She knew he was there, having smelled his scent from the outside, alongside a stranger who had a similar scent to Aisha's.

That girl was a bit strange, even to her. She seemed completely unable to keep her attention on a single thing for long, always flitting between topics. The girl's attention span was shorter than hers when she had to do something boring. Enid knew she had a mild case of ADHD, exacerbated by the boundless energy coming from her Lycan roots. She was offered meds by Aunty Linda before, but the well read woman also advised caution and contemplation before deciding to take them in the same breath. She told her that she was definitely capable of getting it under control herself. That she believed in her and her discipline. So Enid chose to forego the meds because she read from several accounts that people usually felt as if they weren't themselves anymore. For some, that was a good thing but she didn't want to lose a part of her identity so she refused to take the 'easy way out'.

It was a challenge but she managed to learn channelling the energy into her current task which lightened her symptoms quite a bit. The only reason she could imagine for Aisha's inabilities was a far worse version of the same affliction. If that was the case, her heart went out to her. 'Maybe Aisha needs to visit Aunty Linda...' She mused thoughtfully. It wasn't easy getting herself under control and she would have had a harder time without assistance. She still didn't manage to think things through when she was excited as evidenced by her current predicament. Wednesday likening her to a puppy wasn't entirely inaccurate, she admitted to herself.

That thought brought back the memories from before and she felt her cheeks heat up. Somehow, feeling Wednesday's ice-cold but exceedingly soft hands gently wipe her cheeks felt completely different than when her dad or anyone else did it. She wondered why that was? 'Oh well, no need to think about it. I'll just enjoy it. Anyways, I got a big hug out of her and she even initiated it. That's, like, super rare. And she gave me a fitting nickname! I have to find the perfect one for her too...' She was determined to return the favour and was already brainstorming but hadn't come up with something that clicked yet.

"I would appreciate it if you could stop stalling right about now, my dearest. The wards went off a few minutes ago and informed me of a new... Pathway, let's say. If you came to confess, waiting until I reach my own conclusions might not be wise."

Her dad's voice startled her out of her reverie and made her smile ruefully. He sounded amused and resigned. Not angry. Never angry. Not towards her and neither towards her sisters. He was patient and indulging, but stern when he felt it was needed. He always had an open ear for them and he never refused when she just needed to be held. His presence was eternally calming for her agitated spirit and she could fully relax in his arms. She couldn't count the number of times that she simply snoozed with a smile on her face while feeling secure and loved. Her unpredictable antics always were dealt with by him and with an aplomb that was awe-inspiring. The only times he seemed a bit uncentered was when she did something that could end up hurting her. Even then, he never lashed out in anger and sat her down to talk with her instead. Never did he raise his voice or his hand against her. 'He really is the perfect dad...' she acknowledged. Not that she didn't know that already but she needed to remind herself from time to time. Just to make sure she didn't forget that her's was the bestest. 'And I'm causing new problems for him...'

With a brittle smile, she entered the office fully. Despite his words, the fondness in his eyes was undiminished which eased the knot in her stomach but gave birth to a faint sensation of guilt. Logically, she knew he wouldn't just go and abandon her for something like this but old fears didn't just disappear. They lurked and reared their ugly heads in moments of weakness. She felt guilty for even entertaining such a thought for a moment when a single glance at his face was enough to dispell any such thoughts, and she immediately felt her emotions overflow. Single-mindedly, she hurried over to scramble into his lap. He totally expected it too, since he adjusted his posture to perfectly receive her and held her close immediately.

"Love you, dad."

She murmured into his embrace, not caring that there was a witness. He stroked her hair, causing some fine debris to rain onto his suit. As always, he grumbled about it but didn't relinquish his hold in the slightest and neither did he stop his soothing caress. His next words made her cling to his vest in an onset of despair though.

"And I you, my little Sunshine. Now, shall I punish the little Addams Heiress? She seems to be the instigator of over 90% of your more... chaotic outbursts recently. That seems to be a number too high to be just a coincidence..."

She failed to discern the humorous tone of his voice in her agitation and pushed herself away slightly to meet his amused eyes with panicked ones.

"No! If you do that, she might decide to not visit anymore! I... Uhm... I'll give up my Ice Cream Privileges if I have to, but don't... sniff Don't punish her..."

She felt her eyes water and her nose clog at the thought of not eating ice cream the upcoming two months, but she'd bear it if it spared the little Addams. The mere thought of having less of Wednesday in her life seemed to take colour away from her future. Which was somewhat ironic since she added so little in that regard. But her presence seemed to give a vibrancy to all of existence. A contrast she didn't know she needed and it was something that Enid didn't want to miss anymore now that she had a taste of it. She didn't notice the wry smile her dad bestowed her with, but she did perk up when he said.

"Will you calm down, my Morningstar? It was just a jest. This once, I'll waive your punishment but you have to stop singlehandedly creating jobs for our contractors. They already anticipate the damage they'll have to repair to be little-girl shaped and allocate materials accordingly. If this continues, you'll be known as a living wrecking ball in the supernatural communities."

His words caused a light blush on her cheeks and she buried herself in his embrace again. She just couldn't help it. Whenever she noticed Wednesday's scent in the air, she felt she needed to be at her side as quickly as possible. When she expressed her helplessness, her dad sighed, seemingly resigned to the fact that he would have to pay for many more walls in the future. Inwardly, she was determined to try and do better.

A soft and suppressed amused chuckle turned her attention away from her somewhat unintended future in the demolition branch. The second man in the room finally announced his existence. He controlled himself quickly and made a placating gesture.

"Sorry, little one. It's just, you seem to be a little troublemaker and it reminded me of my babysister for a moment."

There was still a heavy dose of suppressed mirth in his voice, but it wasn't malicious and she didn't really care that he found her to be funny. She liked it when she brought joy into the lives of others. Still, she'd like to know just who he was. Her unasked question was answered by her dad, who had picked up on the slight head tilt that indicated her curiosity.

"This is Brian Laborn. The future head of your personal security and he will operate alongside his team to ensure from the Shadows that you and yours will stay out of trouble. Well, as much as possible at least. He received a blessing from that old fellow Erebus which makes him uniquely suited for stealth and observation, you see. It is fortunate that you arrived when you did actually since I was just about to send for you. I wanted to introduce him to you. It wouldn't do to appoint a permanent fixture in your life without ensuring that you can enjoy his presence. Of course he will have to undergo extensive training at Maze's mercies before the final appointment, but I am hopeful that he'll survive."

She winced and mouthed 'My condolences.' much to his confusion before scrutinising him with narrowed eyes, causing him to fidget slightly. Aisha only introduced herself with her given name, but...

"You're Aisha's big brother, right?"

He seemed a bit surprised at her question but nodded without thinking too hard about it. She hummed for a moment before turning to her dad.

"Is Aisha going to stay here? If so, you might want to get her to talk to Aunty Linda. I think she has the same problem I have, only worse. It's hard to follow her thought processes and she seems to jump around in her own head without aim. It must be really hard for her and I wanna help her."

She turned back to the young man who seemed stunned at her words. She gave him a smile that seemed to reawaken his spirits.

"Don't worry, Aunty Linda can help anyone. She's really good at talking and she always seems to understand what's going on in my head, even when I don't know myself. We all have our problems and went through trials we rather wouldn't have had to bear, but everything we experience makes us into the people we are. The trick is to learn to love yourself. Then you'll be glad for everything your life threw at you."

She winked and laughed at his expression. He laughed at her too so it was only fair. She quickly stretched to press a kiss to her dad's cheek before scrambling out of his lap.

"I have to go! Wednesday is waiting for me and I have to shower before spending time with her! Oh, and if you see Aisha, tell her if she runs away again after trying to claim me as a friend before I can agree, she won't get any Ice Cream for a month. That'll set her straight for sure!"

With quick but more mindful than usual steps, she retraced the path to her room. She had an important guest to entertain and she didn't want to leave her waiting any longer than she needed.

~Lucifer~

Seeing his daughter leave, he was left with a bemused smile as was often the case. He truly hoped she wouldn't change as she grew up. Well, except for her habit of destroying walls everywhere she went. That was admittedly an expensive and somewhat unnecessary penchant she adopted.

"She's... Something?"

Brian tried and failed to find words describing his charge, causing Lucifer to chuckle with humour suffusing his voice.

"Indeed, she is."

He affirmed before showing a slightly more serious countenance.

"The affliction she was talking about was ADHD by the way. Her case isn't that serious, which means that she can manage without medication, but if your sister has it worse, it might be a good idea to look into it. May I inquire about the background? If it's too personal still, you do not have to answer. I'm not in the habit of forcing my employees to offer their private problems for me to nitpick on."

He seemed to struggle with himself for a moment before growing resolute. His eyes showed determination and he seemed to have made a decision.

"Our mother, if she can even be called that, is a drug addict. And getting pregnant did not seem an important enough reason to stop that particular habit. Aisha's brain chemicals are messed up and she has extreme difficulties concentrating on anything. At least that's what I understood from what the neurologist I had the fortune to come into contact with told me after he examined her. Add to that the fact that she's a complete brat with the same patron as myself but expressed differently, and you have a potent troublemaker."

His eyes hardened and he seemed ready to leave if Lucifer demanded it. Of course he wouldn't do such a thing. Especially since he could sympathise. Dinah's case was similar yet completely different and only the presence of his Light when he put her together again allowed him to completely purge those detestable substances from her body. Sadly, he wasn't capable of doing the same for her. 'Not in the same way, at least... Though maybe... I don't want to give false hope for now, but there is someone who might be able to help... Let's inquire firat before committing.' He decided against immediately offering his personal intervention. Instead, he gave what any good employer should offer. Psychological support.

"Doctor Linda is a very capable woman and I am open to offer her services to all my employees. This offer includes their relatives. If you are amenable to it, we can schedule a first meeting with you in attendance? Just to make sure she's comfortable."

The newest addition to his roster of capable staff scrutinised him for a long moment before relaxing slightly and even showing a slight smile that reached his eyes. Truly, it was obvious that his sister was the most important person in his life. Again, he was certainly capable of empathising. Family was the reason for his Rebellion. Family was his motivation to push past his bitterness and rage. Family made him a better man. If Aisha represented for Brian even just a fraction of what his own precious people represented for him... He would go to war for her, even against beings like him. A respectable fellow indeed.

"I... I would like that. Thanks. We didn't really have the money to spare for any kind of official care and if we'd have taken help from social services, chances are that she would have ended up in the system. And that's really not a place I want her to be in."

Lucifer nodded. At her age in combination with a potential handicap, she would have fallen to the wayside, pushed from place to place without anyone offering to allow her to plant roots and settle down. Adrift, she would have been, and it would have been a challenge for Brian to keep up with her relocations. It wasn't a fate he wished onto any child and indeed, he was working on trying to improve that particular aspect of the world by offering alternatives and funding the hopelessly understaffed systems behind it without letting the money trickle into the pockets of unscrupulous people. It wasn't something to be done in a day. It was a long and slow going process with plenty of loopholes to be shut down before he could possibly go all in. If it increased the quality of life for those orphaned children, it was worth the effort though.

Directing his thoughts back to current matters, he finally pushed the contract over to Brian. The young man took it and read through it. He began to lose his composure quickly and incredulously looked over to him. With a knowing smile, Lucifer leaned back in his seat and let him process the information he just received.

"... Are you serious?"

Brian asked with gravity in his voice, not quite trusting what he had read. Lucifer understood his hesitation. The remuneration he'd receive was substantial after all, and the treatment of his team members wasn't much worse. He felt the need to clarify.

"This is only valid in case you survive your training with Mazikeen of course. If you manage to reach her standards, you'll be set for life, even if you leave my employ for some unfathomable reason. That much, I can guarantee."

He let a bit of humour flow into his voice but the statement was a true one. She might still hesitate when it came to vocally acknowledging the fact, but Maze was exceedingly fond of all three of her 'minions'. Four, he corrected his thoughts. Wednesday joined the fray recently and their similar temperament would doubtlessly enable a stable mentoring relationship. She would certainly go all out to train their secret protector.

Still a bit dazed, Brian asked to leave to confirm the terms with his team and Lucifer agreed easily. Even though he was their leader, he didn't hold complete authority over them. Discussing matters with all those involved was the reasonable thing to do. As he turned back to the paperwork waiting to be processed, a light sigh left his mouth. Why did he become the leading figure of a global organisation promoting childcare and education again? 'Ah, to help Enid make friends... Right.' He remembered and wondered just how this had grown so out of proportion. Somehow, a 'simple' playground transformed into something the world needed for quite some time. Remembering the awed and proud looks he gained from his daughters when he explained what he was creating here was enough of a motivation to push him on.

He hadn't planned for this to end up so big and important, but now that he was involved in it, he would see it through. He would create a better future for children all around the globe and he would do so to make his daughters proud. With renewed determination, he finished up the paperwork and breathed a sigh of relief before spreading his senses towards one particular person. When he sensed her location and found no one in proximity, he manifested and flexed his Wings. There was no one near his Detective so he dared to jump directly behind her.

She hadn't yet noticed him so he took in her overworked form for a moment with faint worry suffusing his thoughts. She tried to downplay it when asked, but he knew better. To ensure that she had enough time to tend to Beatrice, she worked on all things not related to fieldwork whenever she could. With her workload, such a schedule wasn't bearable over prolonged intervals. He acknowledged that he was a bit of a hypocrite in that regard but to be fair, he was just a tad more resilient. In a sudden desire to ease her burdens he gently laid his hands upon her shoulders. Her sudden tension was soothed away by his soft voice.

"Relax, Detective. It's just little ol' me. Let me open your eyes to the wonders of a divine massage."

He didn't wait for her answer to his slightly mischievous words and began kneading her shoulders with skilled movements. His perfect appliance of force and heat began to loosen the knots he could feel beneath her smooth skin. Slowly, she relaxed, apparently having decided to simply let him work. A silent sigh left her lips when he worked through an especially stubborn one and she leaned back, offering better access. He immediately made use of it by changing up his grip slightly before channeling a small hint of his Light. It seeped into her skin and offered a pleasant sensation akin to lounging in front of a hearth in winter. Once he was certain she was as relaxed as he could achieve in this environment, he let his hand wander towards her cheek and enjoyed the fact that she leaned into his touch before kissing the top of her head. She hummed pleasantly before grinning up at him.

"A surprise massage after a hard day of work. I could get used to such a treatment."

He returned her grin, having his arms loosely around her shoulders where she grabbed onto them to hug them to her chest.

"Anytime, dearest. It's as much a pleasure for me as it is for you. If you need a moment of relaxation, just know that I'm but a single thought away. Now, what has you so stressed? I haven't been in for a while and I apologise for that but Mikey's... Antics, and the Guiding Light Foundation are eating up most of my time. Did you know that I had to rescue Daniel after Mikey got it into his head that he had to have a personal human to fit in? Sometimes, I really wonder what is going on in that rotten thing he calls his brain."

It sounded far more humourous than it actually was. After that particular scare, Linda gained a new patient. Daniel was quite traumatised after being abducted out of his own bedroom. Especially since Mikey didn't grasp that higher dimensions were a bit too much to comprehend for most regular humans. He was lucky that Daniel had a surprisingly robust mentality and that Lucifer was alert at the moment which allowed him to intervene. Explaining to his brother that no, he couldn't just take a human and go train him to be a good pet was a frustrating conversation. His most arrogant sibling failed to understand that not everyone would serve him out of their Free Will. In the end, he had to get a sleepy Enid to tell him off. It worked but he sulked for days afterwards, the big celestial baby. His mood didn't stop him from stealing the snacks he made for the children though. Sometimes, Lucifer wondered how Mikey hadn't fallen from Grace yet with how much he changed since the Rebellion.

He was a bit of a prick before, but from what he heard from Rae-Rae and Amy, his mind quietly broke after being defeated by his twin and having to see him almost die a true Death. She guessed that he felt a twisted sense of responsibility because he hadn't managed to defeat him which enabled him to confront their Father, indirectly leading to his defeat and near-death. That was one of the biggest reasons why he was so hesitant to raise his hand against him. Lucifer felt bitter responsibility for the state he was in and wanted to try and mend his mind as much as possible before kicking his arse for being a sanctimonious little bastard who endangered his daughter and several others for no reason but shits and giggles. He was pulled away from all the things he would do to Mikey once his mental health was somewhat restored by Chloe's curious voice.

"So that's what that was? Dan told me he had the most surreal experience and if he didn't know better, he'd have thought he was on an acid trip. He didn't want to talk about the details though."

There was a very subdued hint of vindictive pleasure in her voice, overlayed by guilt for feeling that way. He could certainly understand why she hadn't fully forgiven him for his supreme douchyness. The man hurt their daughter and for any good mother, that was a taboo that shouldn't be broken. He rounded the chair she was seated in as his fingers gently stroked along her arm, leaving a trail of goosebumps in their wake. Finally, he took her hand into his and pulled her to her feet to embrace her. She didn't fight his hold and leaned into it instead. Hiding the elation surging through him at the simple gesture, he focused on her self recrimination for nonexistent faults instead.

"There is no need to feel guilty about your very valid emotions. The protectiveness you show towards our little Sunshine is entirely too attractive to be in any way wrong, and a bit of vindictive glee at Daniel's misfortune is not inappropriate at all. He is steadily becoming a better person while doing a good job redeeming himself to Beatrice, but that doesn't just erase the pain he caused. You are allowed to resent him. You are not forced to just look past his faults. He himself wouldn't expect you to. He told me so himself, you know? That he is so thankful and humbled by the fact that we let him be part of our shared daughter's life even though he 'fucked up as badly as he did.' His words, not mine, though I do agree with them, uncouth as they are."

He stroked her back softly as she relaxed in his arms. In his eyes, she was perfect, and the fact that she didn't just up and forgive Daniel for his transgressions but harboured a deeply hidden grudge didn't change that opinion in the slightest. The opposite was the case, really. The grudge was borne from the pain of Beatrice. It was a grievance that was entirely protective in nature. How could he judge her for emotions he himself harboured? Though, admittedly, seeing his genuine effort and steadfast desire to do better, there might be some acknowledgement buried in him too. Just a small hint. She looked up and he was once again ensnared by the beauty of her eyes. The slight quirk of her lips told him that his dazed state did not go unnoticed but he couldn't care less about that. He wanted her to know how desirable he found her. How utterly smitten he was by each and every aspect of hers.

"First you give me an absolutely divine massage. Then you see through me with a single glance and comfort me about something I hadn't even completely realised myself. And now, the intensity in your eyes makes me feel as if I'm the most desirable woman in this world. You might just end up being proper boyfriend material, you know?"

She teased him before pressing her lips to his. As always, electricity flooded his being, but he wasn't to be outdone this time. Skillfully, he drew her in, deepening the kiss and gently molding her perfect body to his before enhancing the experience. Nothing as primitive as wandering hands, oh no. Instead, his Wings cocooned them, making her gasp into his mouth as his lips ticked upwards. She quickly caught herself and wound her arms around his neck to hold herself up with some support from his hands at her waist before smiling a bit lazily and languidly guiding their mouths together again. She opened her lips slightly, allowing his tongue in for the first time and he delighted in accepting the offer and explored to his heart's content.

She seemed almost meek in comparison to the bold and daring woman she usually portrayed herself as, but he realised that her adventurous spirit wasn't entirely curbed when she pulled his lower lip between her teeth and nibbled on it before pulling away with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. Her breathing was a bit hurried and a charming pink had suffused her cheeks as she smiled a bit shyly while biting at her lower lip. A hint of frustration entered her eyes but her steadfast personality made her resolute in her decision.

"That was... beyond nice and I'd like nothing more than to take... this to the next level, but I need to finish up my case reports. I won't have time tomorrow since there's a new case on our table."

Her voice was quiet and persuasive even though there was potent reluctance in it. Lucifer released an overly dramatic sigh before letting his Wings unfold slowly. Without words but with an exaggerated longing stare instead, he kept holding her hand even as he floated backwards before dipping into the dimensional stream. Her exasperated amusement as he prolonged their eye-contact until the very last moment elicited a cheeky grin and a wink from him before he finally faded. When he rejoined the mortal realm, he was already in his own room. It wasn't empty though. His bed was occupied by a lazy catlike being that somehow ended up adopted by his esteemed self. Mild exasperation coloured his voice when he slightly shook her prone form and tried rising her from her slumber.

"My precious Glimmer, you can't spend your entire life asleep. I know it's tempting, but there are some people who would miss you. Enid and myself included."

She groaned, opened one of her eyes and gave him the most adorable one eyed glare he had ever received. When she realised that the only effect her expression had was making him smile softly at her, she sighed and gave up.

"Your bed smells like you. I always sleep better with you close by. Deal with it."

She grumbled before sitting up and stretching. Her nightmares were neither as common nor as malevolent as they once were, but she still suffered from them rather regularly. They were collectively working on it but as dear Doctor Linda said, it was a long process and hurrying along the path of recovery would only make things worse. Mental health was a delicate subject at the best of times, and ruining progress by being overeager for results was a very valid concern. Instead of taking unnecessary risks, they'd simply continue what they were already doing. Providing her with pillars to lean on when things become too hard to bear and supporting her unconditionally.

"You sure you don't want to lie down with me? This bed is downright sinful."

She amateurishly tempted him with half-lidded eyes and a hint of a cheeky smile she undoubtedly adapted from him. A surprising surge of tenderness took his breath away when he once again realised what he subconsciously already knew. All of his little ones began showing their own versions of his habits. If he wanted to eliminate the valid possibility of his heart exploding from overflowing emotions, he'd need to vent them and quickly. Luckily, there was a target right in front of him. Quickly, he caught the surprised brunette Morningstar and cuddled her close. She put up a token resistance before hugging him back while releasing a put-upon sigh as if she was doing him a favour by returning his affectionate gesture. Which, to be fair, was absolutely the case.

"... Maybe resting for some minutes before preparing dinner is not the worst of ideas."

He rewarded her weak attempt in the family business with slight success. Everyone started small after all... Well, he was the exception, he supposed. But he doubted that making deals with entire planes to save one's life from near-certain death truly counted. Instead of reacting to her surprised flinch, he simply shifted to make sure that they were both comfortable and leisurely kicked off his Louboutins before pulling her along and situating her with her head against his chest. For good measure, he manifested his Wings and folded the left one over his daughter.

She positively melted when all her subconscious tension flowed out of her. The deep sigh she released this time was one entirely motivated by comfort, and he was proud that he was the reason. Their little idyllic moment was interrupted when the entrance to his room was ripped open.

"No fair! I wanna cuddle too!"

He shared a knowing and amused glance with little Dinah before opening up the second Wing for occupation. Nary a second went by before it was claimed by the dastardly conqueror named Enid, who called over to the entrance to motivate another intrusion.

"Come in, Wednesday! Don't you wanna see real Angel Wings?! They are sooo soft but can be sharp too! The outer plumage can even be used as weapons! Uncle Amy told me that Dad was notorious for being able to cut through solid metal with his Wings!"

'What stories are you telling them?' He amusedly questioned the absent Archangel without truly establishing contact. While he wondered about Amy's questionable choices in bedtime stories, the little Cambion dared to enter the room with wariness and curiosity warring in her eyes.

"Don't worry about my Divine Radiance little one. While I am easily capable of using my Light to eradicate the entirety of the demonic populace, it is not intrinsically toxic for your race anymore. That attribute faded after I took over the Infernal Realms as their One True Ruler."

Emboldened by his words, she scurried to Enid's side who wasted no time taking her hand and guiding it along his plumage's more dangerous aspects.

"They are sharp enough to eviscerate a behemoth and flexible enough to survive the endeavour... How fascinating..."

He didn't know how to react to a girl of less than ten years praising the lethality of his inborn weapons. In the end, he decided to simply smile wrily while enduring their curious fingers with all the dignity he could muster. Unaffected by the clamour of her sister and their friend, Dinah had given herself over to a slumber once again. She laid buried into his side while keeping his wing tightly wound around her and the expression on her face was by far the most peaceful he had ever seen her wear. 'Maybe, dinner can wait another half-hour after all.'

It was only slightly more than an hour later that he managed to untangle himself and do his duty of providing nourishment for them. By then, bold little Wednesday had been sitting on his Wing while staying close to Enid after claiming that direct contact with the appendage provided her with the sensation of a stinging pain that kept her mind active and engaged. Of course, she enjoyed it and wanted more. She was an Addams after all. When he probed as to why she felt pain when there should have been none, he found her budding Infernalis curiously batting at his Grace with childish innocence and ferocious glee. Since it caused no real harm and would actually aid in her growth, he didn't put measures into place to stop it from happening.

As he stood in the kitchen and worked his natural gifts to aid him in swiftly composing a perfectly healthy and delectable dinner, he kept his metaphorical eyes on his little ones. Enid was providing guidance in the way of Uno to Wednesday, who took to the game with some curiosity, obviously enjoying the despair she caused when she played a +4 that forced Amy to refill his hand after being down to one card. Dinah was lazily lounging at the table, watching over the others with deeply hidden fondness. She didn't often participate in the games Enid wanted to play except for the times when she was coerced into them by the unintentional manipulations of the little Morningstar, but she regularly observed silently from the background, drawing quiet satisfaction from the fact that her new family was having fun. Despite her somewhat difficult to understand personality, she was a selfless girl who wanted nothing more than for those close to her to be safe and happy. Sometimes, those desires took on dangerous proportions as he recently realised.

When Lucifer grasped that she fearlessly leveraged her continued existence against Mikey in a game of manipulation, he almost blew up a continent. Her quiet and defiant stare when he told her off for the massive amount of danger she put herself in made him helpless in a way he truly didn't enjoy. She did allow his desperate embrace and even returned it with some fervour as he confessed to not knowing what to do with her. She pulled back with a wry smile then, and promised to not take any unnecessary risks. She continued that she would proceed to protect her loved ones with everything she was. 'Well, then I'll just have to be such a potent deterrence that no one dares to mess with Me and Mine.' He thought to himself.

He was almost completely healed from his rather... daring stunt to save Dinah's life, and he felt that he was a tad stronger than before. For beings like him, physical strength was a triviality. What mattered far more was control over the concepts one represented. And ever since his life became enriched by his daughters, he felt that Light represented so much more than what he thought before. His understanding of his concept had been shallow in comparison to the possibilities that had opened for him. Now, he could faintly see the innumerable connections that seemed to bind naturally into the Light. Self-actualisation was a dangerous thing for Celestials. Just as his Mother had trouble solidifying her physical form since she was lost on who she really was, his self image hindered his progress. Realisation was the first step to fix any problem, and that was the case here too, so he actively committed to introspection. He put effort into grasping how he viewed himself.

He realised that he saw himself as a corrupted being. As someone unworthy of the bonds he had. His subconscious had already accepted the claims of humanity, no matter how much he despised being labelled as the Source of Sin. Now that he tried to see himself through the eyes of others, including the adoring point of view of his daughters, he felt obliged to become worthy of them. Not to mention that he was attempting to capture the heart of perfection incarnate. He had to step up his game, and accepting that while not perfect, he wasn't at all the marred, twisted, and broken shell of Samael, was the first step. He wasn't better or worse than his former self. He just... was. His personality had shifted and his traits had changed. It was a natural kind of progression. He had become a bit harder to get along with and darker around the edges, but he treasured those he called his own beyond himself. He wasn't as naive as he once was and his understanding of the world had a more cynical base if compared to before, but he kept a fair few of his more idealistic tendencies.

No, he wasn't Samael. He was Lucifer. The Lord of the Underworld. The Infernal Realms listened to him and he had the absolute backing of the Realm's Consciousness. He wasn't solely a being of the Abrahamic Pantheon any longer. Instead, he was the Judge. The One who decided. He was the Reckoning for Sinners, no matter to which Pantheon they belonged to. No matter if they were alive or dead. He was the highest Chtonic Deity and had absolute Authority over that aspect of reality, and he was fine with that label. He fully accepted the role he was chosen for. He couldn't help but find it ironic though. His Core would forever be the First Light, and now he comfortably dwelled in Darkness. 'Such is life, I suppose.' He mused. Once he understood who he was, Harmony was far easier to reach.

His eyes naturally fell upon his first daughter, regarding her with gentle and fatherly love. She was the Light guiding his Path without even knowing it. If it wasn't for the fledgling Grace she called her own, he wouldn't have managed to harmonise the opposing forces vying for his favour. He would have had to choose to lean into the Light or the Darkness. To pursue Virtue or Sin. Only her unwavering belief in him allowed him to center himself and steadfastly choose the middle way. For no being was complete without a measure of both. It was an easy claim to make, but understanding the truth behind it was a challenge.

Shaking his head to clear his mind, he turned his attention back to the dishes he was about to finish. An ungodly amount of stir fry, heated in the Light of Day and tempered by the Flames of Hell. Which was a surprising necessity to properly cook the meats he had acquired from one of the stranger dimensions his rather chaotic 'game of tag' with his twin had led him to. In the end, despite his genuine agitation at the time, the most important thing was that Enid had her fun, and judging by the unrestrained laughter she steadily blessed him with, that was indeed the case. As he applied the finishing touches, he smiled sharply. Once, he'd accept it. Michael was pardoned for this single instance. Should he attempt to abduct one of his daughters yet again though... Well, he would earn himself a well deserved timeout in the core of the Sun. That much was certain.

Dinner was an enjoyable affair as they were joined by Amy with Linda who had arrived earlier than the others which aided in distracting them, Mazikeen, the Decker girls, and surprisingly Thing. The poor fellow lurked in the air vents and somehow activated some of his defense mechanisms aimed at supernatural pests. He shrugged it off, claiming that he certainly qualified as one of those before firmly claiming superiority over other pests for having survived the death traps in the vents. He then proceeded to 'prove' himself by play-fighting some hardlight constructs depicting the creatures they were consuming, much to everyone's amusement. Though Wednesday and Dinah hid theirs quite well as always.

Seeing most of his family in such high spirits set his mind at ease and he absentmindedly grasped Chloe's hand and entwined their fingers. A surprised glance turned into a warm smile as she squeezed back, tacitly accepting the gesture. Truly, he was blessed. The evening ended on a high when dessert was served. The well received star of the evening was a massive cake, and the excitement certainly didn't wane once he revealed that it was his very own recipe. The 'Devil's Delight' Caramel Chocolate Cake. Each piece had a different filling fitting for the person who received it of course.

After filling all the hungry stomachs, a spontaneous game 'night' took place before his girls toddled off to plot some schemes away from attentive parental oversight and he swirled the scotch in his glass as they sat in companionable silence that was only broken when Amenadiel decided to reveal something.

"So... Mikey visited us in our bedroom some nights ago. I'll be honest here. We didn't appreciate the surprise addition."

It wasn't quite as much of a shock as Amy had expected since, well, it was Mikey and it wasn't the first time he'd done something like that. Nevertheless, his behaviour was growing more erratic and Lucifer worried how far he would go. Would he overstep enough to force Him to Move? If he continued disregarding basic rules like Free Will, Father might actually break his non-interference rule and pull him back Himself. His teeth itched at the thought of having to see his Father, so he decided to intervene should it become necessary.

"If he bothers you again, send me a message. I will reel him in. It is my responsibility and I am not without fault that he is as far gone as he is."

He seriously stated with some Authority in his voice and for once, no one argued. He didn't want to assert himself like this in front of family and friends, but it was necessary to get his point across. From there, the topics evolved more pleasantly and they spent just over an hour in pleasant conversation. He loved quiet evenings such as this one. They were few and far in between and...-

A quiet sigh escaped him when he felt reality crackle and give in. How powerful a deity must Murphy be to instantly react to his thoughts? He hadn't even verbalised them yet! It was then that he felt it. Immeasurable agony of both, the Body and the Soul. A deep pit filled with anxiety manifested in his stomach when he realised that it wasn't his own pain that he felt, but the Echo of someone else's. It was so strong that he almost buckled in his seat. Once he reigned in the surprise, he combed through whatever it was that had impacted him so and why he seemed the only one on the receiving end of it, judging from the confused and worried glances he received from the others.

His inward glance showed a new connection latching onto his Soul with surprising ferocity, gnawing on his Grace as if it wanted to consume it whole. Through that angry but ultimately harmless... bond?, a cocktail of emotions and sensations was fed to him. From confusion and disorientation to the searing pain that had impacted him first all the way to soul-rending grief and a fury and hatred that seemed determined to challenge the Heavens. His brows furrowed when he faintly sensed that the latter two were directed at him yet not quite. 'Just what...' He followed the connection until he found the physical location of the rift. 'Central Park, New York... I guess I'll have to go on a trip.' He felt compelled to take this matter in his own hands.

"Only follow if I have need of you. My intuition screams at me that I have to confront this matter on my lonesome. I doubt that whoever arrived is a threat to me, but if I am wrong, I will not shy away from asking for help."

Amenadiel's reaction was a stony visage, furrowed brows, and a solemn nod. Maze was snarling and no doubt moments from rebelling against his command, but a single glance made her grit her teeth and storm out of the room. It wasn't a stern one enforcing his authority, but an imploring one instead and she didn't know how to deal with that.

"Be careful, alright? I'll talk to the little ones to keep them calm. Also, I kinda have a bit of a déjà vu right now so I'll prepare a room in case you come back with an injured daughter..."

The attempt at humour left him in a somber mood since from what he sensed, chances weren't low that she was right. She seemed to notice too, and snorted before sending him a last amused glance designed yet failing to hide the worry beneath. She then left in an obvious bid to keep her composure.

"Brother, if you don't call me when you are in danger, I will show my nieces each and every of your traumas. Including but not limited to the first spider ever created."

He didn't wait for an answer after his potent threat and flashed away with Linda, who threw him a worried glance before they disappeared. With gentle eyes and a wry smile, he prepared himself for engagement before stepping through. And what he found was mindboggling. In front of him was a seemingly young girl. Barely conscious and severely injured, she seemed more fragile than she likely was. In the back of his mind, he noted that he knew the kind of injuries he detected on her. They reminded him of a young and cocky Amenadiel jumping into the Time stream without care only to be thrown out moments later after he encountered a disturbance and was kept in place for years while enduring Time's Erosion. Her wounds were reminiscent of those his foolish Brother had suffered from after that traumatising event.

But that wasn't what stunned him so effectively. It was her aura, faint as it was. Because his blood burned for her. He recognised the signatures that made up her mark. The first was his own and the second one he sensed... It was Chloe. 'She... She is our daughter?...' He was lost and his heart ached in his chest when he subconsciously stretched his Grace to welcome and aid her and was rejected with a glare filled with Hatred and trepidation. It took his breath away and tore his heart apart to be the cause of such pain, especially in who was most likely his future daughter. Just what had he done to deserve this? 'No, I should ask myself: What will I do to deserve this?' He suppressed his emotions and thoughts for the moment as there were more important matters to care for. Determined, he stepped forward.

~Aurora Morningstar~

She screamed in agony and defiance as she hurtled uncontrollably through what she instinctively knew was not just Space, but Time as well. Only her grief and hatred kept her from losing her mind as she felt her existence stretch at its seams. 'He has to pay!' She roared into her mind to gather up the last vestiges of her determination as her throat was long since too hoarse to produce a proper voice beyond inarticulate and feeble screams. Finally, after an eternity she seemed to slow down and she almost lost her focus from relief when suddenly, she felt as if she was grabbed by opposing forces far beyond her. One was stronger than all others though. With contemptuous ease, it rebuffed whatever else attempted to claim her and almost gently took ahold of her before sending her... Sideways? Her confusion intensified. Dimensional travel was strange even without adding a time-axis to the equation but this was a peculiar sensation and a first for her.

Finally, she left the in-between as she was spat out by a dimensional rift, causing lightning to strike and thunder to rumble all around her in an instinctive manifestation of her energy. She was hurting fiercely, disoriented, and beyond confused. So she focussed on the Hatred and righteous Fury burning in her chest to calm her mental state before trying to look around, only to fail to move at all. Panic rose in her when questions popped up in her muddled mind. Where was she? And more importantly, when was she?

'I need information...' She mused before trying once again to move and failing pathetically. A pain filled hoarse groan pushed past her twisted lips. Everything, and she did mean everything, was in a state of burning agony. She closed her eyes and tried to calm down her breathing to reduce the pain coursing through her entire being with very limited success. 'Maybe I'll just lie here for some moments. Just until I recover some energy. Yeah. That's a good idea.' As she could feel the pitiful vestiges of divinity try and repair as much of the damage as possible in a short time, she simmered at the thought that she had to rely on the heritage left to her by that detestable man to become functional again.

'No, that's not fair. Uncle Amenadiel is an Angel too. I can't make an entire race of beings responsible for the faults of a single individual. Mom raised me better than that.' As her thoughts spiraled in all directions, they suddenly converged as an intense sense of foreboding surged through her battered body. Her closed eyes snapped open just in time to see the telltale glow of an approaching Celestial. With how bright the Light was, she could only think of two, maybe three people it could possibly be and the form that stepped out of the glow fulfilled her worst nightmares. She wasn't ready. She needed information. She needed to plan and plot. Her sperm donor was without a doubt one of the strongest beings and she couldn't attempt to bring him to justice as she was.

That was when she felt his Energy wash over her. An intense yearning that rose from deep within her startled her before disgust suppressed the emotion. How could she possibly want him close?! After all that he hadn't done?! Not even on her deathbed did he deem mom worthy of a visit! How dare he! Incapable of articulating her intense feelings of loathing, she had to settle for a hate-filled glare. Deep satisfaction surged through her when a genuinely wounded look flashed through his eyes as she violently rebuffed his Grace, followed by agonising pain of course. 'Worth it...' She told herself even as she continued to glare at the worthless existence that donated his sperm before leaving them to fend for themselves.

In the meantime, determination had replaced the pain in his eyes and he closed in, leaving her heaving for a breath in impotent fury. 'If only I could move...' she grit her teeth hard enough to draw some blood from her gums that she spat into his face once he leaned over her. He stoically looked at her with a deep sadness radiating from his eyes. He never broke eye-contact while gently lifting her in his arms. Confusion added to the intense cocktail of emotions raging through her. Why wasn't he retaliating? Even though her mom spoke in unnecessarily high spirits of him, she also confirmed that his Pride was often the worst of his attributes. So why was he just accepting her spitting in his face?! She could feel the heat radiating from him and it was already soothing her wounds but she refused to accept his help. Why would he...-

"Enough of that, young lady. Obviously, things aren't harmonious between us, but that is no reason to commit suicide. The wounds on your Body, Soul, and Grace will not heal without assistance. Soon you would waste away without ever achieving what you've set out to do. If you want to claim my life, you can do so once you are healthy once more. Now, will you listen or do I have to get your mother?"

Tears rose in her eyes when she heard the stern and fatherly tone of his voice. It was laced with such deep worry that she couldn't help it. Glaring at him through the tears, she accepted his embrace and felt a deep sense of self-loathing when she realised that she felt safe and secure in his arms. As if no harm could ever reach her while he was sheltering her. The feeling intensified when she made the connection that the last time she felt like this was in her mother's arms. 'Is that why I feel so small right now?...' She managed to ask herself before exhaustion and her injuries finally claimed her consciousness.

Chapter Text

~Chloe~

'Knew it...' She thought immediately when she saw him appear, gently glowing while cradling an unconscious girl who seemed 10 or maybe 11 years old. She was confused by the bloody phlegm that drew a wet and slimy trail down the side of his face, but didn't ask anything until he came to himself. He was looking down at the girl with the most complicated eyes she'd ever seen on him and he seemed lost in thought, so she didn't want to interrupt.

Slowly, his gaze turned to her and she almost couldn't suppress a shocked gasp. A look of utter self-loathing was present on his face and she couldn't for the life of her think of any reason for it. She was just about to confront him when he preempted her words.

"Do you think I am a good father?..."

He asked her with uncharacteristic uncertainty lacing his voice. Rarely was she ever as confused about a question as she was when he uttered those words. Her state of befuddlement didn't stop her from reassuring the man who had caught her and her daughter's heart so completely. She stepped closer and touched the side of his arm gently while making sure he was looking into her eyes. She needed him to see the honesty in them as she wiped away the spit and blood on his face with a previously prepared handkerchief. With unshakeable confidence, she told him.

"You are by far the best parent I've ever had the pleasure to observe. You go above and beyond your parental duties and the way you treat our girls is beyond precious. Now, why don't you tell me what brought this on? It's unlike you to be so insecure."

She gently coaxed, but didn't expect the sardonic smile that twisted his handsome visage into a grimace laced with pain and confusion. Her chest felt constricted as she could only think that this expression truly didn't fit him.

"Well, our biological daughter certainly doesn't seem to share your opinion at least. Her assessment seems to place me on the other end of the spectrum..."

Several times, his words echoes through her mind and every time, they were the same and she still failed to compute them. 'What?...' Was all she could think of. Their biological daughter? 'How?...' was the next thing that came to her mind and her eyes subconsciously turned to the unconscious girl. Now that she paid attention, she could see the resemblance. The features were a blend of her own and Lucifer's. Her eyes traced her face, slightly twisted by pain. Tear tracks ran through the superficial layer of dirt and blood, but in this moment, she seemed almost at peace. 'Our daughter?... Am I ready for...' She suppressed the thought before it could completely form and turned her attention to far more important matters. Sternly, she glanced at the downtrodden Devil. Encouraging the man who did so much for all of them yet never expected anything in return took precedence before anything else.

"Do not jump to conclusions. Whatever happened, we can't be certain until we have all the information. I'm guessing she's a time traveller? Well, it isn't important. Let's take one step at a time. You know how to care for her injuries, right? Let's get her hale and healthy again before we draw our conclusions. We need her side of things to even begin piecing the truth together. And whatever it is you will do, once we know about it, we can take care that it won't happen. You are a fabulous dad in the present and we will ensure that you stay that way in the future. Now, go and bring her to the room beside Enid's. It's the one I've readied."

She commanded the most powerful man she knew and he looked at her as if she was the most precious thing on earth. She felt her cheeks heat up at the attention which added a touch of subdued amusement to his admiring gaze. His voice was far more stable when he finally answered.

"Your wish is my command, my love. You are right of course. I have no idea what happened in her future, but I will make sure it will be a mistake that won't be repeated. This, I Swear."

She could faintly sense the ripple that originated from Lucifer when he finished his statement thanks to her status as a miracle with budding control over the Divinity within her, and realised that his vow was to be taken very seriously, not that she ever had any doubt in that regard. The girl in his arms shivered for a moment before relaxing again and unconsciously grasping at his vest not unlike what she'd seen Enid and Dinah do. Her heart melted when she witnessed Lucifer's expression soften into a fatherly smile that seemed to set his entire being Alight. It was still a bit strained by self-doubt and guilt, but that feeling was easily cancelled out by the determination radiating from him. He continued staring some more seconds at the daughter he met today before changing his target.

"Thank you, my beloved Detective. Without you, I would have been lost in my own mind, unable to find my way for a long time. Your words tore apart the shadows that had descended on my mentality. My Father's errors are not mine, and I will prove my words with my deeds."

The deep gratitude and affection in his deep voice and the gentleness with which he looked at her coupled with his meaningful words reignited and intensified her blush. Judging by the mischievous glint in his eyes, he realised and even planned for her to fall into such a state. She failed to develop any resentment however, and settled on a short pout coupled with an eye roll followed by a glad smile instead. Her eyes couldn't help themselves and wandered towards the tiny form in his arms. Her wounds were steadily closing in the Divine Radiance originating from her father and Chloe swore to herself that she'd discover all the details of what happened to make her spit into the face of the man who was the epitome of fatherhood in her humble opinion.

She simply couldn't imagine any scenario that would have resulted in such intense loathing. She felt a deep need to get to the bottom of this, and she wouldn't relent until she did. It was her duty as a mother to protect and shelter even though the child in question has been known to her only for less than ten minutes, and she'd be damned if she failed the most important duty of them all.

~Rory~

Chaotic scenes of her life assaulted her. Without rhyme or reason, she was taken through memories long faded and repressed. She remembered snippets of her childhood that laid dormant in the depths of her mind, seemingly suppressed and forgotten and yet influencing her mentality all the same. She dreamt of longing glances and bitter tears, of envy and jealousy and a feeling of inadequacy, wondering why others had a father and she didn't. Mom tried to soothe her heartache and most of the time, her soft and silent reassurance helped seal away the emotional upheaval with a gentle embrace, but more often than not, questions lingered. She asked herself if she was the reason. Wasn't she good enough? Was she defective? Did he leave her perfect mother because of her? Was she responsible for the well-hidden but profound sadness, longing, and melancholy her mom had to experience? Because surely the gentle, fierce, and flawless woman who took care of her while fighting against crime couldn't have been the deterrent keeping him away.

Uncertainty and sadness were joined by despair and helplessness as the years came and went. She realised that she had no possibility of contacting the man who was supposed to be her father. Did he even know of her existence, or did he simply abandon her mother after impregnating her? Would he have left her to fend for herself if he knew? It seemed unlikely from the high tones her mom praised the man in. So she felt compelled to ask. But the answer that was clearly meant to reassure her began to transform her despair into a never felt fury. Hatred began to bud in fertile ground when she was told that he knew. And that he loved her very much. She hid her feelings from her mom, but deep inside, she began to loathe the man beyond measure.

Was there anything more important than being there for his family in times of pain and suffering? How could a man who claimed to love her and her mom leave them alone to deal with breaking down at her grandma's freshly dug grave? How could he dare to claim to love either of them when he failed to show even in their darkest moments? No, he wasn't her father. She refused to acknowledge him as such. The last straw was the fact that he didn't even once show his sorry self to support mom when she fell ill.

Rory had to witness her wasting away. Helplessly, she watched as she transformed from the strong, capable, and nurturing woman who tackled everything in life with boundless determination into a fragile and helpless shell of herself with only rare moments of lucidity. How often did she hear her cry out hopelessly for Lucifer to take the pain away? How often did her pleas go unanswered? Every single fucking time! Not once did he appear! Not even a single time did he deem the sobbing and writhing mess her mother had become worthy of salvation. Her Hatred festered and grew as her mom wasted away over a year until she was finally freed by Azrael's embrace. At that point, the mere thought of her father was enough to make her physically ill.

In that mental state, she began to curse him. With all the Hate that had accumulated within her, she swore that she would make him pay. Nothing would stop her from ripping him apart while demanding him to answer why. Why? Why?! When her emotions peaked, she felt her Wings manifest. She knew she had them since age 2, but she refused to intentionally use the part of her heritage that linked her to the man she loathed. Now, she didn't have a choice however. Guided by her mental state, they self-manifested and ripped a hole into Time and Space that swallowed her up. She knew the sensation of influencing time from some little tricks Uncle Amenadiel had shown off and this felt the similar, but infinitely more intense.

Helplessly, she was pulled along without hold. She was far too unaccustomed to using her inborn abilities and could only instinctively try and protect herself against the forces that ripped at her very essence. Before long, she was spat out, and what followed was the most surreal and unrealistic case of her sperm donor appearing to take her. It couldn't have been true, right? She faded in and out of consciousness and from what little she remembered of her waking times, she knew she had very likely traveled back in time, but delirious as she was the few times she woke up, she failed to grasp just how far. There were faint recollections of a soothing voice singing to her and someone crying. She was ashamed to admit that the latter was likely herself.

Today however, things seemed a bit clearer. She was on the verge of consciousness and already felt more like herself than she did in a long time. When she finally fully resurfaced, she didn't immediately open her eyes. Instead, she tried to remember. The voice... It was a beautiful male one and it sang to her a melody beyond comprehension. There was only one word to describe it and that was... angelic. Her blood ran cold when the premonition as to who was by her side settled in her. A faint sigh echoed through the room and she felt warmth invade her cold body, chasing the sensation of dread away only to leave a deep sensation of unwanted comfort.

"It was touch and go for a long while but you are finally out of the woods it seems. I will not accept you harming yourself, so I will not hesitate to infuse you with my Grace until you are fully cured, but now that you are coherent again, I won't need to stay at your side at all times. Until you are ready to confront me, I will not subject you to my presence any longer than needed..."

He paused for a moment as she digested his words. There was a deep, permeating sadness present in his voice but it also had a strength that seemed unyielding and indomitable. His words reassured and confused her. From what she understood, he didn't leave her side for however long she was unconscious, and now that she regained her mental facilities, he let her decide when to confront him. His actions seemed far too considerate for the hateful picture of the man that she had built up in her mind. Only two interactions, she had with his past version, and already, uncertainty was consuming her. 'No. Remember that he is the Devil. His honeyed words and actions will not enthrall me!' She firmed her shaking will and finally opened her eyes to glare at him. The action faltered in its infancy when she saw the atrocious state he was in.

He was standing and clearly on his way out. On first glance, nothing was wrong, but she recognised the signs from her mom, who often worked herself sick. If you knew what to look out for you recognised the signs of severe exhaustion. He was unkempt and his posture, while straight and seemingly strong, was kept that way by means of his formidable willpower. The eyes that were watching her with an exceedingly complicated combination of emotions, and the gentle glow surrounding him were the main indicators though. The former couldn't hide the soul-deep strain on him and the latter seemed feeble in comparison to his appearance when they first met. Nevertheless, she felt his Light flow into her with a steady stream, healing and fixing whatever it could. She couldn't bring herself to glare at him, no matter how much she loathed his existence. Instead, she turned away and ignored him until he'd leave. She pretended to not having heard the silent exhausted breath he released before addressing her again.

"I will just say, while I do not know what caused the rift between us, I regret it beyond measure. I am beyond glad for your existence and the fact that I was capable of preserving your life. Are you amenable to receive visitors? There are several people present who are dying to get to know you, including but not limited to your mother."

She felt her body betray her with the sting of tears at his words but she refused to show weakness in front of the man she loathed. The latter part of his statement was met with a barely visible nod. She felt a bit weak still, but meeting her late mom again awakened a genuine spark of joy in her heart. He nodded once before leaving the room. She didn't get to think much about the fact that she noticed her hands being far too small for her previous body, or how her legs didn't even reach past the middle of the cloud like mattress she was lying on, before the door of her room opened again. In filed a far younger version of her mom, cluing her in that she'd traveled back further than she thought, along with Trix whose age confirmed her guess. She didn't know the third one though.

A blonde girl with pale violet tips, clothed in the most random assortment of colours she'd ever witnessed. She blinked away the spots in her eyes before returning her curious look with one of her own. No one said anything for a long moment. Her mom looked shocked and a bit overwhelmed while the other two seemed to be bursting with curiosity. As for herself? She was trying to keep the tears away by only looking at her mom from the corners of her eyes with very limited success. Already, she felt the first ones sting in her eyes and this time, she failed to appear strong. Instead, they trailed down her cheeks silently much to her frustration.

T and the unknown girl exchanged a look that seemed to contain a complete conversation before both of them startled her by surging forward and jumping onto the bed on opposite sides without hesitation. She had no chance to retaliate before she was glomped by the two children. For the first time, she looked at her mom directly to search for help, but what she found was a gentle smile that communicated fondness and exasperation in equal measures. Her eyes were reddened and she seemed moments from breaking out in tears herself but she held strong and simply sat down in the chair by her bed.

"Why?..."

She asked the two girls clinging to her reduced form and they once again shared a look over her before answering as one.

""You needed cuddles.""

They giggled at her uncomprehending look and elaborated.

"You clearly need them."

Trix threw out.

"Yeah, you were basically begging for them."

Her head snapped back to the unknown one.

"Really desperately too."

She had an inkling in which direction this was going when T chimed in again.

"And we're glad to provide the service."

They both cuddled closer before Trix continued where she left off.

"You can call us professionals in the business even."

Just how well did they know each other to keep this skit going like that? Who was the blonde one?!

"But our service isn't cheap."

Suddenly, their faces grew far more serious.

"Not at all."

Trix nodded with gravitas.

""We demand payment in snuggles.""

They claimed simultaneously.

"They are similar to cuddles, but not quite the same."

The blonde one explained as if her words made any form of sense.

"We'll show you the difference, don't worry."

Trix winked at the end of her part.

"You may be able to supplement your payment with hugs too. We'll have to draft a payment plan."

The colourful girl stated as she tapped her chin with her index finger, seemingly deep in thought.

"Yeah. Actually, shouldn't we do that before providing our services?"

Trixie's voice had a questioning quality to it.

"Usually yes, but this was an emergency service. We can't just let our sister be sad. That would be unethical. Against our code of conduct."

Like a senior employee explaining the rules, the colourful one explained with utter seriousness and Trix showed an expression of enlightenment.

"Ah, that's right. So... Will we waive the fees for her first cuddle session?"

Her question was laced with faux innocence and the answer came in that same knowledgeable tone from before.

"Oh no, we have to make a living after all. But... A discount may be possible. She'll end up a regular anyways. See it as an investment if you will."

Trix shot back with a hint of helplessness while squeezing her to demonstrate her point.

"Right. I'd bow before your keen business sense but I'm kinda preoccupied."

When the blonde one sniffed haughtily and cheerfully answered with the least convincing fake-arrogant tone of voice she'd ever heard, she couldn't keep the incredulous snicker down.

"It's alright. You can prostrate yourself later. My genius deserves no less."

She failed to contain her desperate laugh because what was even happening? Who was the blonde girl and why were the two of them calling her sister? Everything she knew seemed to be wrong. From the stories of her mom, her sperm donor should still be running around calling Trix 'Spawn' if she guessed her age somewhat correctly. He was supposed to try and train her like a dog to get her to stop hugging him with her sticky fingers while being simultaneously responsible for them because he 'secretly' supplied her with chocolate cake. Her laughter transitioned into outright tears when she was consumed by the uncertainty she tried to suppress. Nothing made sense and she simply couldn't deal with it at all. Which was why she was thankful when the girls on both sides squeezed her reassuringly. Hot cleansing tears continued to flow when her mom wordlessly joined the embrace by shifting all three girls into her arms.

It was only after a long time that she managed to thank them. The conversation afterwards was beyond enlightening but it also derailed everything she'd planned for...

~Lucifer~

Two weeks. He had spent two weeks constantly radiating his Divine Light to help his future daughter recuperate. He spent most of his time close by her side to maximise the effect and left his usual duties to Maze, Amy, and Mephistopheles. They filled in well for him if the reports he received were truthful. To be honest, he wouldn't have managed to hold on if he didn't receive daily visits from his daughters and Chloe. Those hours they spent with him fueled his Grace and firmed his determination. Now, he was a bit lost. He didn't want to compromise her mental health and decided to leave the time for the confrontation in her hands. He didn't even ask for her name. Whatever she wanted to offer, he'd take, but he wouldn't put any more pressure than absolutely necessary on her.

From what he'd guessed as of yet, it was likely that the ability to travel through time manifested spontaneously in a burst of intense emotions. Her body didn't seem used to the strain and she had lost quite a bit of Essence when she arrived here. He was also almost certain that she was older than she appeared but had no proof for the assumption. The thought that she might have just scattered over the time stream, eroded completely by a fundamental force if she spent much longer in there made his heart race with unprecedented panic. If she didn't leave the stream when she did, chances were that he wouldn't have ever met her. He wouldn't have known that there was a daughter in his future who suffered so...

Shaking his head to clear his mind did nothing for his mental state. He had trouble concentrating on anything even after resting for a while, and his Grace felt a bit raw from overuse. His Infernalis circled around it in an attempt to soothe the pain and it was working, but slow-going. His mind gravitated around the fact that he had done, or would do more like, something so unforgivable that he was hated by his biological daughter. He wanted to confront her, to somehow try and fish for some information, but he wouldn't do so if she didn't first come to him. It was her decision to make. He would however do everything in his considerable might to ensure her safety and comfort. His gaze rose in surprise when the door opened and Chloe entered. He hadn't even noticed her approach which spoke volumes about how preoccupied his mind was.

"How is she?"

He asked her. He couldn't help hating how weak he sounded. If she noticed his state, she didn't mention it. Instead, she came closer and put a hand softly on his shoulder in an attempt at a supportive gesture. He appreciated the effort, but failed to relax an iota even with the Detective's soothing presence so close by. She understood him well, and squeezed his shoulder lightly before answering with a soft tone of voice that held a hint of helplessness.

"She's better... I got to talk with her a bit, and she's really confused. She doesn't know Enid or Dinah, and from what she knows about your relationship with our little Sunshine, you should be repulsed by her, or at least acting as if you were. I don't know what to make of this, Lucifer. Are you sure she's from the future? How can there be such extreme differences? She didn't talk much, but from what little she offered, basically everything was different. Some can be explained with the fact that it hasn't happened yet, but there's so many discrepancies..."

There was more than just a hint of uncertainty in her voice and Lucifer's mind raced. An idea was taking form in his mind, but he'd need some time to confirm it. Right now, his Grace was too overtaxed to attempt it but once he meditated for some hours, it should be fine. He just needed someone to convince the girl to communicate...- He went utterly still when an immature but strong Grace tentatively poked at his. The short contact allowed him to sense a myriad of emotions, churning like the ocean in a heavy storm. All of it was kept under control by a firm will, though he wasn't certain just how long it could hold out until it was eroded away by the constant onslaught of her inner turmoil. Evidently she came to the same conclusion and decided to confront him before she lost control.

"She... She's calling me. I... I have to go. Thank you for the encouragement, my love. I need to talk to her and confirm some things... You may be on to something, but I can't confirm it right now..."

He stopped himself before he could truly start to ramble, but his mind hadn't stopped racing. Countless scenarios were created by his mind and rated for their likelihoods, but all of it was underlined by frustration since he couldn't be sure at all. Now that she wanted to talk, he may glean some things. Chloe nodded encouragingly and pushed him towards the door and he firmed his will before striding to the room he had left just some hours ago. He took a deep breath before entering and immediately noticed the red rims around her eyes and the slight tiredness she still exuded. She was leaning with her back against some pillows to make sitting upright easier. Her eyes were of his own shade and they seemed to consider him with complicated emotions swirling in them. Before he had a chance to talk, she addressed him with a slightly hoarse voice.

"My name is Aurora Morningstar but most call me Rory. I am the daughter of Lucifer Morningstar and Chloe Decker, and I have never met my father..."

The shock of her words almost blanked his mind, and he had to force himself to listen. She continued to narrate some of the struggles she and her mother faced and how support was scarce. How Amenadiel sometimes came by and eased the tensions but how his responsibilities kept him from coming too often. She told him a lot of things and much of it, he barely could believe, but quite a few details simply didn't fit. There were differences. Clear ones that seemed to differentiate her world from his. Once she was done and sat there, drained from talking with a throat not yet fully healed, he sat with her in silence and considered what he'd just heard. His complicated gaze was caught by her's and a defeated smile stretched her lips. With uncertainty lacing his voice, he told her.

"I think I have an inkling of what happened... I can't be entirely certain until I've recovered and tested my hypothesis, but... I don't think I am truly your father in the truest sense..."

He expected her to be shocked, but she just nodded with a strange and tired smile as if she'd expected it.

"Yeah, I figured. That adorable blotch of colour told me some things. Well, a lot of things actually. She didn't stop talking once she started and her lung volume is seriously impressive. She told me about outcasts and werewolf clans, and about you heroically breaking down her door to rescue her. She claimed that you love adopting children in bad situations and that you chose to include T into the fold with almost no hesitation. The differences are just too much to account for, and if I didn't recognise some faces, I'd have thought... Well, it doesn't matter. I'm in a parallel universe, right?"

Pride surged through him at her question. She'd come to the same conclusion as he did. He tried not to show too much of it, not wanting to agitate her when she was in a vulnerable state, but some must have shined through as she avoided his gaze with faint pink on her cheeks. The mood soon grew somber however and she sighed.

"I... Honestly, I don't know what to do... It's so hard to keep my feelings in check when I see you wearing the face I want to kick in. I... I just wanted to make him pay... I wanted to scream our suffering into his face and ask him why he allowed it all to happen... But... I can't, can I? You're just not the one responsible..."

The rueful and forlorn smile on her lips tugged at his heartstrings and so did the tears shining in her eyes. When she looked at him, his breath hitched. She was lost. There was so much confusion and pain contained in the orbs that were rightfully claimed to be the transparent window to the Soul.

"I... I don't..."

She closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep shuddering breath before opening them again. She was remarkably good at containing herself. 'She probably had to learn young and without a father to guide her...' He mused with a strange kind of self-loathing that was directed at himself yet not. A hint of resolve had appeared in her eyes and he curiously waited for what she wanted to say.

"I guess I can try to... I can try again I think... Jumping into the correct timeline or something? I don't wanna mess with your perfect little family after all... I'm just an unexpected burden... Just forget about-"

He took a moment to register her words, but as soon as he did, a volcano of rare emotional intensity exploded in him. He jumped up from his seat and a furious rant escaped his lips and interrupted her self-loathing words before he could even try to contain it.

"Absolutely not, young lady! I will not have you wander timelines with your half-baked capabilities! Do you know just how dangerous that is?! You nearly sublimated into the time stream! I had to infuse you with my Grace with utmost care and bolster your existence for two whole weeks to make sure no long-term consequences would linger and even so, I didn't manage to completely restore your Essence! You were nearly hollow when you arrived! Your Grace and Essence will have to mature on their own yet again! If you try to jump timelines as you are right now, chances are you'll just vanish forever! No daughter of mine will be so bullheaded!"

He glared at her startled form with worry completely overpowering his reason. He didn't even notice his Wings manifesting themselves to air his irritation by fluttering agitatedly and even shedding some feathers. Instead of acknowledging them, he continued his rant.

"I won't allow it! You will recuperate under my care, and you will immediately stop calling yourself a burden! How you came up with the idea that I'll just let you toddle off to be a moron I'll never know, but it stops right now, am I clear? Your sisters would be beyond heartbroken if I let you leave to commit suicide in the most elaborately idiotic way possible! Just wait until I tell your mother! Prepare for a dress down of epic proportions!"

Slowly, he lost his steam and looked at her with an irritated frown that immediately transformed into a look of wide-eyed panic when he noticed tears in her eyes. He closed in but stopped uncertainly. He wanted to embrace her, but didn't think it would be welcome. Instead, he tried to explain himself while ringing his hands.

"Oh no, please don't cry... I didn't mean... Well, yes I did, but..."

He was interrupted by a wet laugh and a sniff. When he looked her into the eyes, they seemed a bit more clear despite the tears flowing from them. Her words made him grumble about inappropriate humour though.

"So straightforward suicide is allowed, then?"

She asked with a hint of sarcasm and sardonic humour in her beleaguered voice, gifting him with a sharp smile that somehow calmed him down. With an aggravated sigh, he threw himself into the chair by her bed before sending her a faux serious glance before playing along.

"No suicide, period. You're grounded if you do so much as try to cut your wrists for attention. Such a thing is unbecoming for a Morningstar. We punish sinners. Not ourselves."

A sense of foreboding overcame him when her eyes exuded the faint gleam of mischief he had seen mirrored far too often in his own. His instincts proved spot on when she opened her mouth to utter words that would haunt him for a long time.

"But... What if I've been a bad girl? Will you punish me then?"

A full body shudder shook him at the implications. With genuine horror, he stared at her until she broke down laughing. Immediately, his eyes softened at the sound. Her throat wasn't fully healed yet but already, he could discern that her voice was truly angelic. It seemed she inherited his musical talents. He wondered if she played an instrument? No matter, he would learn more about her over time, as was his duty and utmost joy.

"Mom always said that beyond all your other capabilities and traits, you will forever be a goof. I didn't understand her before and frankly, I didn't want to, but now I kinda do. If you'll have me until I'm healthy again..."

She trailed off uncertainly and seemed unable to finish the statement. His eyes softened even further and he wanted nothing more than to take her into his arms. As her father, he was responsible for her wellbeing. It was his most sacred duty to shelter his children when they were incapable of doing so themselves... And somewhere out there, a version of himself failed so utterly that vengeance became a necessity. 'Is it considered suicidal if I want to rip my alternate version apart? New questions to ask Doctor Linda I suppose.' he mused as he gently smiled at her with a hint of longing, his hand lingering on the edge of her bed. She noticed and hesitated for a moment before shaking her head with a sad smile.

"I don't think I'm ready for physical contact... I... I'll try to change the way I see you. You're clearly different from the version of yourself who callously abandoned my mom to her fate. Right now, far too much of me wants to break your perfect nose as often as it takes to crook it though. I... Yeah, I think I'll agree to stay for some time. It's not as if I have much to return to..."

He almost laughed when she confessed to wishing him physical harm but suppressed it in time as he was startled by her following words and the downtrodden mood along with the hollow voice with which she uttered them. 'To say it like this... I can't imagine how lonely she must have been.' He thought somberly and with a fair bit of loathing for his other self before forcing a sly smile onto his face.

"You know, if it's just my face you want to punch, I may be able to arrange for some cathartic venting with my far less handsome twin Mikey..."

The fact that he managed to elicit a silent snicker from her warmed his heart and he vowed to himself that there would be many more expressions of joy and levity in her future. From the looks of it, there wasn't much of a reason to laugh in her life before, thanks to an iteration of himself who blundered in ways that he deemed unforgivable. His brows furrowed slightly when he thought about it. He would help her investigate just what went on in her timeline, hidden from plain view. While there was absolutely no excuse for what he'd done, he couldn't imagine any version of himself abandoning his biological daughter without any reason. For now, he would concentrate on ensuring her improving health however. Both, physical and mental. The readiness with which she wanted to jump back into the time stream after suffering such grievous wounds worried him and he wouldn't allow her to leave until he was entirely certain that she wasn't suicidal.

As they fell into lighter topics, they continued to talk and find common grounds in the strangest of occasions. They were similar in some ways and different in others and he delighted in discovering every single facet of her being, though he was slightly disappointed when she confessed to lying from time to time. His fascination was clear to anyone and the tentative curiosity of his parallel daughter added to the lightening mood. Slowly, a hesitant bond was forming between the Lord of Hell and his damaged spawn, and he couldn't be more glad for it.

~Dinah~

She successfully sneaked in. It was a bit naughty, she supposed, but she needed to catch her alone for a prolonged moment to effectively interrogate her and night was the best time for that. With her Light guiding her step by step, she managed to reach her without waking her up. Soon, her knife was in the perfect position to strike a lethal wound and it was time to... communicate.

"Wakey wakey, little devil spawn..."

She whispered into her ear and smiled maliciously when her eyes snapped open in confusion only to grow wary and guarded within seconds of coming to. It was all a facade of course. She drew no joy from threatening her 'sister', but what had to be done had to be done. No one else seemed inclined to, so she had to bite the bullet. With a voice dripping malice and intensity, she started her interrogation.

"Now that I have your attention, may I ask you just why you had such strong murderous Intentions towards the man who devotes his life to making the world a better place even though it banished him to a place so far from the Light of his very own Creations? The one who saved me from certain death and meticulously rebuilt my Soul from shattered pieces logically beyond redemption at the cost of his health? I would really like to know what gave you the gall to try and take my papa away from me..."

She'd seen it. She'd seen the alternative dimensions and timelines where she failed and those where she succeeded. She also saw some where a different purpose was fulfilled but she didn't care in the least what it was. Admittedly, her papa was far superior to any of those pretending wannabes she offed, and her chances to take him out were close to nill, but the fact that she dared to harbour such thoughts... For the first time since she was reborn, red hot fury burned through her calmness. For the first time, she realised that the Light in her wasn't just gentle and warm. No, it could burn fiercely and without mercy just as well and she welcomed the change wholeheartedly. The girl beneath her gulped when she truly realised the situation she was in but she stayed fairly calm. Admirable, she would have thought in any other situation. Right now, it was infuriating instead. She pressed the hell-forged blade she'd nabbed from aunty Maze and drew the slightest hint of blood.

"Answer me, wretch."

She hissed, not knowing that her eyes were glowing in the dark and adding to her eerie and dangerous appearance. She had expected many things to happen here. But she didn't anticipate the wry smile that appeared on her victim's lips.

"To inspire such intense emotions... He really is different here, huh..."

She blinked and her Light answered the question that wasn't even uttered. Scenes of a somewhat happy childhood marred by melancholy and the fierce sting of absence. Of difficulties that came with having only a single parent. Of uncertainty and the trauma that came with feeling responsible for situations not of one's own making. Of a sick mother who screamed and sobbed for salvation at the hand of the Devil, only for her pleas to fall on deaf ears. Of hate and fury and a supreme but uncontrolled manifestation of pure and unadulterated Power that ripped reality to shreds. All of that, she saw in the span of less than a second. It wasn't much time, but it was enough to somewhat equalise the situation. The girl beneath her had her Wings manifested. Cute little things, seemingly painted with fresh, crimson blood. The tip of one pointed at the hollow of her throat and she had no doubt about the sharpness of the inborn weapon.

Contrary to Dinah's expectations, there was a smile on her opponent's lips, and her eyes sparkled in a way that was entirely too familiar. A faint sense of discomfort suffused her when she witnessed that expression and her own intentions became more illusive by the second. Not only had she witnessed the reason for Aurora's taciturn determination to make her papa pay, misguided as it was, but she also sensed that by now, her goals had changed. Faintly, Dinah realised that her actions may have been a bit premature and a hint of pink spread on her cheeks when she did, deepening the sparkle in the eyes she was staring into.

"You are a loyal one, aren't you?... I kinda admire that decisiveness to be honest. I dunno if I'd have it in me to threaten the daughter of my saviour..."

Her words and her tone of voice were an equal split between mocking and genuine admiration, causing Dinah to glare at her before sighing. She put the knife away and rolled off the girl who would most likely end up a full member of her family despite her current resistance. Lazily, Dinah stretched beside her, causing the red winged Nephilim to look at her with a deep sense of amusement. Dinah didn't really care. Now that she knew she had her own tragic backstory and that she wasn't a danger for her and her's, she didn't really care about the situation anymore. Without even a hint of shame, she waited for an opportune moment before stealing her blanket and hogging it mercilessly, causing an inarticulate sound of indignation.

"Oy, give that back! Don't you dare... Are you even listening?! I'm still recuperating! Who steals the blanket of an injured child! Do you have no shame?!"

She ignored her outraged ranting for a while until it became a nuisance. With an irritated sigh, she opened up the cocoon and pulled the girl into it, causing an undignified yelp to slip past her lips. She looked deep into the unimpressed eyes of the girl who she designated as her bedfellow for the night and slowly raised her finger to her lips.

"Shhh... It's time to sleep. You don't want to wake the others, do you?"

She ignored the sound of impotent fury and closed her eyes while cuddling into the stiff form of the girl who arrived from another dimension to kill her papa only to fall for his impeccable charms and become part of her family.

[Chance for Aurora Morningstar to stay and take up the role of your Big Sis: 87.556%.]

The girl stayed as she was for a long moment before releasing a resigned sigh and tentatively returning her embrace.

"Well, aren't you a menace..."

She whispered not unkindly and woke a sensation of pride in Dinah's chest with her words. Usually, Enid took that particular epithet. This time, she earned it before her though. Not that she was jealous or anything. It just felt good to be acknowledged from time to time. She didn't answer directly but gave a command instead.

"Sleep now. You're still injured. Don't you want to heal? Seriously, why are patients so complicated to deal with nowadays..."

She ignored the sensation of having her nose flicked and restricted her captive's movements even further by tightening her embrace.

"A menace indeed..."

Were the last words she heard before she slipped into a restful slumber. Threatening her sister from an alternate future was hard work so she earned a few extra hours.

~Enid~

The first thing she noticed after waking up was that the body in her arms wasn't the same she'd hugged to sleep the evening before. She didn't mind really, but it was still an unusual situation. Usually, she didn't relinquish her hold on whoever was chosen as the sacrifice the evening before. When she opened her eyes, she looked directly into Wednesday's unblinking stare. Despite knowing that she didn't have the slightest chance, she answered the challenge to a staring contest with equal fervour. Seconds ticked by and grew into minutes and she felt the first tears build in the corners of her eyes. Suddenly, a desperate idea came to her mind. It was as crazy as it was genius. Without contemplating the consequences of her actions, she enacted her ludicrous gambit. She... licked the tip of Wednesday's nose. And she blinked. Before she could begin to cheer over her victory, a slew of questions asked by her surprising cuddle partner well and truly stumped her.

"Does licking someone have a special meaning? Is this a new gesture of affection? Or are you just imitating the source of your pet name? Do I have to... reciprocate? I do not think I am ready to commit such debauchery."

She kept a smile on the outside while panicking inwardly. Licking could indeed have some deeper meanings among Lycans and some of them were restricted from view for her so she could only guess until she was older and allowed to view those articles. How should she answer?... 'Wing it.' She decisively told herself. With a nervous giggle, she told her.

"It's... Yeah, it can be a gesture of affection. You don't have to return it if you don't feel comfortable with it. In fact, if you tell me not to do it again, I won't until you tell me it's ok. I'm sorry if it was a bit sudden but I just had the urge..."

'To win our staring contest...' She added in silence while watching Wednesday nod sedately with a considering gleam in her intense eyes.

"I don't think I'm ready for that level of affection yet. Please do not attempt to lick me again until further notice."

Enid nodded slowly to show she understood while feeling a bit guilty about it. She hadn't outright lied, but she did twist the truth a bit. If she thought about it, she was ready for all kinds of affectionate gestures with Wednesday, so that part wasn't untrue at least. 'But doing it without asking first is way out of line...' She acknowledged and promised herself to be better... Again. Inwardly, she sighed. Her impulsive streak would get her into serious trouble some day. Shaking it off, she reluctantly released the dark princess... 'Not that one.' She thought to herself as she tried another nickname in her mind.

Without hurry, Wednesday slipped out of the bed and shuffled towards the bathroom connected to her room. Enid sat up on the black satin covers she asked her dad for to make Wednesday's stay more comfortable, and racked her brain for another suggestion. 'Black Death maybe?' she furrowed her brows and shook her head. While she'd probably like it, it was too generic. Not at all borne from their shared times. That wouldn't do. It didn't elicit the same delight she felt whenever she was called Mon Chiot. 'This is frustrating...' She acknowledged.

Her thoughts paused when Wednesday returned from her stint in the bathroom and fixed her with the deadpan of all deadpans, coupled with a half-lidded glare that threatened to set her on fire. In her hand was one of the shoes she'd worn the day before. Only, it's state was somewhat pitiful.

"Enid. Did you wake up in the night and decide to maul one of my shoes?"

She smirked at her with mischief and shrugged before telling her.

"I toldcha I'd do it though. It's your own fault that you decided to not take it seriously. You can borrow one of mine. We have the same size after all. It's no big deal."

She suppressed the laugh when Wednesday's eyes wandered over to the side of her wardrobe where her shoes were placed orderly. Her movements were halting like a machine that hadn't been oiled recently and when she finally finished the motion, her whole body shuddered. That was when she couldn't hold it in any longer. Her hysterical laughter was stopped rather efficiently when the mauled shoe found its way into her gullet again. After a battle against herself, she managed to spit it out and pouted at the unimpressed girl.

Enid then smiled and winked at her before jumping off the bed and under it to get her present for the Addams Heiress. There was a reason she chose to destroy her footwear. It was all a cunning plan to make sure she used her gift! She pushed through and jumped out on the other side where Wednesday was waiting with crossed arms before stretching the present in her direction under faintly curious eyes.

"This is for you!"

She added unnecessarily as the box was received carefully. She almost vibrated with anxiety when she laid it onto the bed and began to slowly and meticulously remove the black wrapping paper that was littered with silver stars she'd drawn herself. She almost felt the need to yell at her to hurry up until she spied the faintest of smirks in the corner of Wednesday's lips. 'Oh, you... Well played, I guess.' She sighed and let herself fall onto her bed again as she observed her opening the present with a pout. Finally she was done unpacking and excitement mingled with worry if she'd like it.

In Wednesday's hands, there were perfectly crafted shoes. They were so black, they seemed to swallow the light, but the intricacies were still well visible if one paid attention. Blooming roses and dahlias tastefully decorated the shoe's entire length and the sides of the soles had snarling hellhounds patterned into them. She looked at them while staying entirely still until Enid just couldn't take it anymore.

"So, I kinda got you a pair of shoes. I designed them myself! They are crafted from Behemoth Leather and Stygian Steel. The caps at the front will encase and protect your toes in case you wanna kick someone and the leather is shock absorbent as well as stab resistant. If you press your toes down twice in quick succession while wearing them, a Stygian Steel knife will snap out at the front. It's a bit short, but it can damage most supernatural entities... Dad also added some enchantments to them like self-repair, self-clean, and permanent fitting. You just have to drip a drop of blood onto them to bind them to yourself and they'll always fit you... Do... Do you like them?"

She asked her and was startled when Wednesday's eyes snapped to her and stared at her with never before seen intensity. She could see the question in her eyes and answered the unasked question to the best of her abilities.

"Uhm, well, I think I kinda missed our one-month-friendship anniversary. I've given something to all of my close friends and family but since I felt a bit guilty, I went kinda all out with this one... Do you like it?..."

She asked yet again and this time, she received an answer. It was a bit more intense than she'd expected though.

"I will treasure this Infernal Artefact forevermore."

It was just a single sentence but it was spoken with more emotion than she'd ever heard from the Addams Heiress. The intensity with which she stared at them made her worry a bit and she tried to mitigate the sensation with some words.

"You don't need to go that fa-... Never mind."

She interrupted herself when she was suddenly the target of a scary glare. 'She can be really terrifying if she wants to be. It's adorable...' Not noticing the discrepancy in her thoughts, she calmed down and decided to just enjoy the fact that she liked the gift. She was puzzled when she noticed that she wasn't putting them on and continued to stare at them.

"Don't you wanna... I don't know... Put them on or something?"

She asked the formidable girl with some confusion colouring the question. The answer was so ludicrous that she couldn't hold back the giggle that erupted from her throat.

"How could I ever sully such a supreme artifact with my unworthy feet? I will preserve them as they are and they will be added to the Family Vault."

She didn't once avert her eyes from the shoes as she spoke and it took Enid a minute or two to get herself under control again. When she did, she told her with mirth overflowing from her voice.

"Don't be silly. I got them for you so that you can wear them. They'll protect your feet and you'll have one more weapon in your arsenal. It'll feel as if I'm protecting you even when I'm not with you."

She wavered at her persuasion and finally gave in when Enid added the latter part with some shyness. Without hesitation, she bit through the skin of her index finger and dropped her blood on the shoes. They glowed for a moment before returning to their former state and Wednesday dropped them to the floor to slip into them. Of course, she immediately tested the knives and radiated deep satisfaction as she did, much to Enid's fondness. While she played around with her gift, the cuddly blonde hurried into the bathroom only to stop when suddenly, the misshapen head of a monstrous creature leapt from her shadow and drew her far too massive tongue over her entire face without giving her the chance to avoid her.

Shell shocked, she stood in front of the bathroom door before her posture changed to one of utter defeat. Once again, she failed to avoid Cherona's assault. 'Karma, I guess.' She decided. She licked someone else beforehand and now, the same happened to her. Shrugging off the defeat, she quickly went through her morning ablutions before rejoining the dark Heiress. Who was still playing with her shoes in fascination.

"We should go, you know? The Fast doesn't break itself after all. We need to take in our nourishment! And don't forget, breakfast is the most important meal of the day! That's why there's two of them!"

She ignored the double take from Wednesday and marched out of the room while expecting her to follow. Hopefully the new sis was fit enough to eat with them today. She wanted to learn more about her and the time she came from. The future sounded so interesting and there were lots of things she didn't know yet.

~Wednesday~

'I am betrothed at age eight...' She realised as she followed the most monumental upheaval in her short life. Somehow, she doubted that anyone would topple her status in her lifetime. Once again, she seemed intent to represent as many colours as possible with her body as the canvas, but the sting her eyes suffered from when she looked at her directly didn't manage to deter her from staring at her back. The opposite was the case. She hoped the growing migraine would focus her thoughts as they seemed intent to sweep through her mind like a devastating tropical storm.

She had accepted the gift before she realised what it represented. What seemed like a harmless gesture was in actuality an artifact as beautiful and deadly as it was practical. The simple elegance of the shoe was deceiving. Only if one looked closely did one find the beautiful reliefs and imprints that gave the footwear a hauntingly beautiful appearance. She wondered how Enid knew that black was her favourite colour? She was certain she never told her. But that wasn't important. Contrarily, of absolute importance was the fact that hidden in those already remarkable artifacts were bladed instruments of death.

An Addams who received a bladed gift from someone not a member of the Clan entered the ritual of courtship. The higher the quality of the gift coupled with the experienced emotions during the gift giving, the fewer steps were needed to complete the ritual. During the courtship, there were no holds barred. If she disliked her suitor, she was in her rights to end their miserable existence. That, however, wasn't an option in this case. The unique way she was ambushed with this present was a quite possibly unintentional stroke of genius, and it fully satisfied the demands of the courtship ritual. Even her halfhearted attempt to shift the gift towards her family instead of making it a personal one was handily rebuffed.

The quality was without question of the highest level. An Infernal Artefact of supreme quality, enchanted by Satan himself. How could there be any doubt about its quality? It was a splendid gift. As for her emotional state, well, she almost suffered from cardiac arrest. If the reason was any other, she would be ashamed to admit that her black heart had paused for a full five beats when she regarded the gift before resuming its duty at more than twice its usual rhythm. Her insides churned like one of Grandmama's more volatile potions with excitement and she was almost certain she wouldn't be capable of keeping her breakfast down today. Another gift from her betrothed, who just didn't seem to stop giving.

'Why is there no resistance to the thought?' She asked herself the most important question and failed to find a satisfactory answer. 'Is my affliction to blame?' She made a bold guess but failed to find a single sickness where complete acceptance of one's sealed fate was part of the symptoms. In the end, she failed once again to puzzle out the ailment plaguing her but she didn't take it to heart. After all, her mind was preoccupied with other things at the moment.

'My family will be insufferable...' She thought mildly while planning how to remove their collective ability to communicate, only to quickly notice a major problem. 'What a woeful time to be alive...' She concluded when she realised that besides some rare few, all the members of her two families were beyond her ability to silence. One idea that crystallised itself quickly was to somehow convince a powerful member of her family to help her instead of damning her. 'If I manage to bribe Grandmama...' But what could she possibly offer the ancient eccentric woman?

She turned over several ideas until one plausible one stood out above the others. Her gaze once again fell on Enid. 'Would she be satisfied with some hair from an Alpha as strong as Enid?' The girl's presence when her emotions were on a high was, for a lack of better words, awe-inspiring. She couldn't be anything else but an Alpha, and a powerful one at that. 'I can't ask for it. I received gifts beyond compare from her already. How can I possibly...'

Without any obvious stimulus, Enid suddenly stopped and Wednesday almost ran into her. Before she could ask what happened, she was already gone with the words 'Be right back! Wait here!' So she did just that and dwelled on her thoughts. When the chaotic whirlwind returned, it was with the seemingly empty shoebox. Curiously, she opened it and found two long strands of her hair in it. Shocked, she turned her gaze towards the impossibility who smiled shyly at her.

"Dunno why, but I suddenly thought you might need them. Strange, I know, but please take them with you? You can build a shrine in my name or something."

She was clearly jesting, but... 'Grandmama only needs one strand. A shrine might not be a bad idea...' Enid was already skipping in front of her again with faintly pink ear tips and failed to witness Wednesday's eyes light up with unnerving intensity. And even if she did, she wouldn't have thought much of it. After all, what could possibly happen?...

Chapter Text

~Rory~

The sensation of awakening in another's arms wasn't one she was entirely unused to. She'd almost forgotten how good a morning could feel after a night of comfortable and peaceful sleep. Feeling her bedfellow gently pulling her closer did send a wave of nostalgia through her though. The last person who had so carelessly cuddled up to her in her sleep was Trix on the cusp of adulthood. Back then, when they were still talking. 'Yay, great way to bring down the mood. Good job, me!' She groused in her mind before looking at the peaceful face of her surprise visitor.

The girl who threatened her life before deciding that she was of better use as a body pillow. Their meet and greet was among the top five strangest she'd had and that included some of her... Father's more eccentric siblings. That said, she instantly felt some kind of inexplicable kinship as soon as she laid her eyes upon the menacing figure looming above her with eyes that emitted a golden and merciless sheen, though the sensation was understandably a bit muted with a hell-forged blade pressed to her throat.

She didn't really care about that though. She always was more a doer than a talker and decisive actions like what this girl had committed to the previous night was right up her alley. Sure, she'd threatened her life and all, but she wasn't the first person who did that only to become a valued friend afterwards. 'Wait, no. She is the first to threaten my life and leave a positive impression... Huh. I don't even have many friends. I'd be far more attached and frantic to return to my timeline if that were the case...' A wry smile spread on her lips as Dinah nuzzled the side of her neck before burying further into her side. 'For someone so murderous, she's surprisingly cuddly...'

She mused distractedly and sighed silently. Why did she feel a measure of contentedness like this? Why did all that negativity she used to propel herself forwards seem so muted? Almost as if it lacked in depth... 'I'm... Tired of hating, I think.' She acknowledged. She felt burnt out and incapable of rousing more than some weak embers of the Inferno that was her fury. Just some weeks ago, it felt so all consuming, but now... She still loathed his face, but that superficial dislike mixed with genuine appreciation before she realised it. Things were far more complicated than she originally anticipated and she was lost and adrift. That was why she felt all the more keenly the connections that stubbornly wanted to form. One of those was the kinship to the girl cuddled into her side.

Once they put their differences aside so to speak, the sensation returned with vengeance. Bantering with her felt natural in the same way it once felt with T, which woke a sensation of melancholia in her. Things soon calmed down completely and suddenly, the little brat nabbed her blanket. That's when she felt it. A resonance that went beyond the boundaries of the Soul. Her Grace instinctively recognised the Light in Dinah. The girl wasn't human, but neither was she an Angel or a Demonic Entity. Rory didn't know all the background info, but from what she gathered, her Parallel Parent rebuilt her Soul after it shattered. Something she knew for a fact to be impossible but eh, who cared. This version of her father seemed rather intent on doing the impossible. Like actually caring for his family. She ignored the vicious stab of Jealousy that rattled her precarious emotional stability at her bitter thoughts and forced her mind in different directions though they circled around quickly.

Of course, it turned to the man who was this timeline's iteration of her father. How could they not? Remembering the conversation they shared the day before made her see many of her mom's claims in a different light. 'He's witty, sharp tongued, and incredibly caring...' He probably didn't even notice, but with his Wings out, his Grace pulsed frantically, broadcasting his emotions for anyone willing to 'listen', and since she was the target, she received the full brunt of it. The overwhelming worry and care that radiated towards her was just too much. That was the reason she couldn't stop her tears. Not his words, but raw and unfiltered emotion.

Admittedly, he was a bit harsh but every single word was earnest and in consideration of her well-being. How could she possibly hate someone who was ready to lay down his life to ensure her safety? She clearly felt his intent. There was nothing he wouldn't do for those he considered his. The man was beyond self-sacrificial when it came to the people he cared for. And despite their limited interactions and her hostility towards him, she was already firmly and, from her perspective, inexplicably included in that list.

Everything was just a bit too much, she confessed in the depths of her mind. That was when she remembered the flapping and she almost lost it again. Agitated as he was, he probably didn't notice, but his Wings were a perfect indicator for his mood. They were puffed up like an angry goose as he flapped them around in agitation. In the end, she couldn't hold in her laugh. Some part of her was relieved that there was at least one version of her father who didn't even consider abandoning her. He'd rather die. That was the end of it. He would lay waste to entire dimensions before considering abandoning his family. She didn't think he knew just how open he was when he was in that state. Suddenly, she was rudely interrupted in her thoughts by a grumbling Dinah.

"Mmmh. If you refuse to go back to sleep, then begone. Planning your potential demise cost me a lot of energy so you owe me a few hours of bonus sleep..."

'Just how unreasonable is this girl?...' She thought to herself. It wasn't even just the words alone. Despite verbally banishing her, the embrace had become even tighter. Helplessly, she sighed.

"I don't think I can sleep anymore."

She confessed and answered the sudden incredulous stare of the girl who had forced on her a non-consensual cuddle arrangement with a raised eyebrow communicating her amusement.

"But... Sleep is beyond important? It rests your mind and allows you to recharge after a long and arduous day of... Socialising. It helps restore mental energy after watching uncountable timelines to try and find the one you need to happen. Also, the longer you sleep, the less the world bothers you. Why would you consensually stay awake?"

'Oh, she's an introverted Oracle. Makes sense.' She noted as the one sharing her bed shivered theatrically in her embrace. She wasn't generally fond of people either and needed a bit of time to warm up to new acquaintances, though there were some rare exceptions with whom she clicked instantly.

"While I can somewhat sympathise with your stance, I was kinda in an almost-coma for two weeks and now that I feel a bit more energetic, I don't want to continue burdening... Lucifer's Grace for sustenance. Eating seems like a good idea right now. Also, it's pretty late in the morning already. Are you sure you wanna sleep the day away?"

Before she could react, she was pushed out of the strange cocoon the girl had buried both of them in and received an answer.

"You lost blanket privileges for your blasphemous words. Now shoo. Go away. Some people don't wake up in such ungodly hours."

She needed a moment to register the nonsensical grumbled statement before reacting. 'The audacity! It's past 9 am! Ungodly hour my shrunken arse.' She thought to herself even as a light laugh pushed past her lips. The light-hearted interaction dispelled much of the gravitas in her mind and she felt somewhat ready to interact with the alternate version of her family.

"Thanks."

She whispered gently and received fake-snoring as an answer. She knew Dinah wasn't really asleep yet, but she didn't say anything and slipped off the bed instead. She was surprised when she only had to adjust her condition for a couple of moments. After two weeks of inactivity, she expected to at least feel a bit imbalanced or weak on her legs, but that wasn't the case. The Devil's nourishing Light was pretty effective apparently, and it effectively counteracted muscle atrophy. While she was hungry, she wasn't the ravenous beast she'd expected to be after so long without food, and her body wasn't malnourished. Altogether, she was in remarkably good condition if she ignored the lingering injuries and her... reduced physical form.

Standing in front of the full-body mirror, she regarded herself with some dissatisfaction. The pajamas she was wearing were of a dark purple colour and didn't offend her sensibilities. The memory of her mom helping her into them since she was too weak to do it herself made her blush a bit but she could deal with that embarrassing memory. The body that was in the pajamas was harder to accept. It seemed to be around 10 years old and instead of the hinted upon badassery she had going before, she looked plain adorable. While she didn't necessarily dislike the vibe it was, in her opinion, a bit of a downgrade.

Even her straightened hair had reverted to the natural curls she inherited from her father's side. Feeling a bit self-conscious, she endeavoured to remove the pitiful pout from her lips to not make things even more awkward for herself before decisively abandoning her critical appraisal. She'd mature at an increased rate until her body was at the maturity stage from before her somewhat failed trip. No need to get her panties in a twist. She gathered up her determination and left the room, only to stop since she didn't really know where to go. She stood still for a moment and considered what to do before hesitantly flaring her Grace.

The answer was immediate. A far grander and infinitely older Source of divine energy answered her's. The touch was curious and felt cold and peaceful, kinda like what she imagined freezing to death would feel like. Another Source soon joined the first, and she knew that one. In her universe, it was far more vast after he took control of Silver City and replaced his dad. The third one followed more hesitantly, which was understandable since it was her parallel parent's and they weren't completely cool yet. Together, they gently guided her and she couldn't help but notice the decor she failed to recognise. 'Even the penthouse is completely different...' She mused to herself before entering the room they brought her to after taking a fortifying breath. The corridor immediately opened up into a naturally bright room dominated by a table capable of seating the entire family.

The room was decorated tastefully with bright colours and seemed downright domestic as opposed to how she knew it from before. More and more details supported the fact that the Lucifer of this universe was an entirely different man than the one of her's. And the more proof of his local excellence she received, the more jealous she was of what his adopted daughters were allowed to enjoy. 'Oh, you could too, you know? He'd accept you in a heartbeat. You know it, don't you?' Her inner voice taunted her but she paid it no real heed. Yes, she knew, but she wasn't ready. Combining the picture of the neglectful piece of shit that allowed her mom to suffer like she did with the man she learned to at the very least respect by now was almost impossible for her. It just felt as if it was too good to be true... She suspended her thoughts when she noticed the whole table staring.

Her eyes went over the people present as she suppressed the faint nerves that rose inside of her at the sudden scrutiny. With confidence she didn't feel at the moment, she strode over and decided to not make a fuss when she noticed that the only free seat was between her mom and her Parallel Parent. It kinda looked as if they saved her the seat of honour. Probably because it was the first time she would eat with them.

Of the people who were present, she didn't recognise only three. A small goth brat who was sitting rather close to Enid, a young girl with a single, almost neon violet strand splitting the integrity of her short black hair asunder, and an unconventional beauty who was holding hands with aunt Ella. 'Is she gay here or bisexual in both timelines? Maybe she's pansexual? Doesn't really matter as long as she's happy, I guess. If she breaks her heart, I'll break her legs.' while she nodded to herself to affirm her vow, she slipped into the seat, only to hear Lucifer's low voice in her ear.

"If you're uncomfortable with me sitting beside you, just say the word. I'm certain your uncle Amy would trade seats with me simply for the chance to gossip with the newest addition."

The offer was genuine despite the reluctance in his voice, that much she knew. She firmed her will and shook her head lightly. They sat farther apart during their long conversation, but not by much. She could deal with this. He seemed genuinely happy about her decision, but kept it to himself and just glowed silently with a smile. 'It's kinda adorable...' She smiled wryly at the intrusive thought. The next voice she heard was mom's, and as always, it sent bittersweet affection racing through her body, waking both, the urge to cry bitterly and smile like a loon.

"I'm so glad you're well enough to join us. Just in case you're wondering, we had a feeling you'd want some real food soon and Lucifer's guess was that you'd join us today. We thought it was a good idea to get everyone available together. Don't worry, we told them that any questions have to wait until after breakfast. Just enjoy yourself for now."

The soft but far too short side hug she gave her caused her spirits to rise and she decided to observe the dynamics around her silently before eating. It was clear that they were curious about her but she wasn't swarmed with questions as she'd half expected. They seemed to take her mom's words seriously and were waiting until after the meal. Just when she decided to indulge and wanted to choose something from the offered foods, a tantalising scent invaded her nostrils.

"Are those... Apricot scones?..."

She asked subconsciously, drawing some surprised looks and a delighted one from the Lord of Hell. With clear joy in his voice, he answered.

"Why yes, they are! I am partial to them and decided to treat myself today. I'd be delighted to share them with you if you want."

He offered softly without hesitation as two trays with her favourite baked good floated into the room and spread their delectable aroma. She gulped to not make a fool of herself by drooling in front of so many people before nodding silently. Immediately, several of them floated towards a plate that quickly placed itself in front of her and she couldn't help herself. She took one of the still warm pastries and bit into it. She felt the world pause for a moment as the delightfully crunchy texture gave in beneath her teeth and offered up their gooey sweet core. The mellow fruity taste of heated apricots spread on her tongue and mixed with the perfectly baked dough into a culinary symphony of epic proportions. A sigh of delight left her lips after the first bite. It had been forever since she had one of those and they tasted just like her... mom's. Her mind wasn't slow at all and instantly made the connection. Unbidden tears collected in the corners of her eyes as she sent a complicated gaze towards her parallel parents.

"It was your recipe..."

She whispered towards the Devil before elaborating a bit louder at the troubled and questioning look she received from Lucifer.

"My favourite pastry. Mom always made them when I was down or when I had a major achievement in my life. Sometimes she also made them just for the heck of it..."

Her eyes turned to the scone leaking a small amount of the glistening apricot cream. She weighed it in her hand for a moment before she took another bite with a wet laugh.

"This tastes just like her's... All those years, I've loathed your existence and yet, I couldn't escape your grasp."

Another bite was consumed. She wouldn't let them go to waste just because they made her emotional after all. They were her's and she'd fight for them if she had to. With a side glance, she told Beelzebub just what she thought of his underhanded tactics.

"That's a real dick move by the way. Tempting children with sweets. It seems you just can't escape your nature, huh?..."

She took any sting out of her words with a tremulous smirk as she grabbed another and immediately bit into it. His answer was a slight smile and a shake of his head before he answered with equal mirth.

"While I may tempt from time to time and entice you when I am in the mood, the Choice is always yours. Will you fall into Sin or will you stand tall and rise above your nature? Will your moral core stay firm in the face of your desires and embrace the seven Virtues or will you give in to temptation and fall into my grasp... For a couple of apricot scones? No? How about a lifetime's supply? Don't be too hasty to refuse. Think about it first."

He comically wagged his eyebrows and she couldn't help but snort even as she continued stuffing her face, causing her to cough a bit before she washed the mouthful down with the creamy cocoa that surreptitiously floated over during her coughing fit. She glared at the man who grinned back unrepentantly before turning her attention back to the food. She was hungrier than she'd expected. Might have been the choice of dishes though. She noticed that the clamour around the table had mostly paused while she had her little conversation with her parallel father, and that most of the curious eyes had transformed into gentle ones. She felt vaguely uncomfortable about that but there wasn't much she could do about it, so she turned her attention to other things to help ignoring the way the tips of her ears were warmer than usual.

Besides the scones, there were all kinds of breakfast foods on the table and she watched curiously as they seamlessly shifted around, clearly moved by very proficient telekinesis. The scene this created was fascinating. A controlled kind of chaos permeated the atmosphere as previously stopped conversations resumed. She did a little double take when she saw the... thing on the goth's plate writhe and twitch but quickly repressed the sight. 'Nope. Don't wanna deal with that right now...' A cacophony of merriment and joy seemed prevalent during the first meal of the day and it allowed her to witness hints of relationships and the personalities of those present.

During all of that, despite his obvious use of his telekinetic prowess as well as having several conversations concurrently and leading them fluidly, there wasn't even the hint of a strain on Lucifer's face as he catered to the wishes of all his guests while showing himself from his charismatic side. It was seriously impressive and reminded her once again that he was one of the top tier beings out there. The harmonious and frankly relaxing atmosphere was shattered when the one with the split hair suddenly shouted loudly.

"Food Fight!"

Before throwing a spoon full of rice pudding with cinnamon. It would have hit the girl besides Enid in the middle of her expressionless face if it hadn't suddenly curved and returned to the girl who felt it necessary to send the mush flying. It circled her head a couple of times as she watched in awe before it slipped past her lips to fulfill it's purpose.

"None of that, young lady. Despite my efforts, there are still children going hungry out there. I will not have you spit into their faces with your actions. If you feel like being unruly or contrary, be my guest, but please do so without wasting good food. Am I clear?"

Lucifer's tone was mild but no one missed the stern warning. Except for the target that was. She felt a sudden and inexplicable compulsion to ignore her and simply forget about what just happened before shaking it off with a confused frown. The question went unanswered as the girl simply gulped down the rice pudding and returned to her meal. 'She's a bit strange, isn't she? Is she one of those outcasts Enid talked about? A Psychic maybe?' Rory thought to herself and exchanged a glance with Lucifer. His eyes held a trace of helplessness so she sent him a cheeky grin that seemed to improve his mood. After that little interlude, breakfast soon wound down and the time to face the music came. She couldn't help but be amused about the fact that all those people, some of which were rather important in the grand scheme of things, were so curious about her that they made time in their undoubtedly well filled schedules. Should she feel honoured or frustrated? 'Both...' she decided. It was both.

~Amenadiel~

He exchanged a glance with his siblings and his future sister in law. They wanted for him to take the initiative, it seemed. Truthfully, he wasn't opposed. After all, he was curious about his newest relative. 'Lucy really can't help himself, it seems. Enid, Dinah, Trixie, and now Aurora. He's really collecting daughters. At least this one's actually of his blood... But is she though?' He felt strange fluctuations from her, as if the timeline they were in wasn't entirely synchronised with her's. She undoubtedly had Lucifer's blood flowing through her veins. He could feel his Grace thrum with resonance confirming the fact. But was it the same Lucifer?

His domain was Time. As such, he obviously knew that there was a near-unending amount of universe's out there, often differentiated by only a single decision that snowballed into a separate timeline. He also knew that it was almost impossible to cross from one into the other. If it was easy to do, any minor god of Time would be an unbeatable existence as they'd simply pull on their parallel self's experiences to heighten their understanding of their domain.

No. There were rules in place and only monstrously powerful entities were capable of somewhat circumventing them. Which begged the question as to why and how she appeared in this timeline when she rather obviously originated from another. 'I can contemplate this later. Now, I have a niece to greet.' He decided and stepped forward with a kind smile on his lips.

"I hope you are having a good morning my little time traveling niece. I suspect you already have an inkling of my identity, but courtesy demands that I introduce myself. I am Amenadiel, the Archangel of Time, but you can call me whatever you'd like really. Uncle Amy seems to be a popular choice and I don't mind it. I heard your health suffered from the complications that arose during your stint into the time stream. Are you recuperating well? Oh, and may I just say, I'm so proud that you decided to dabble in my domain instead of that boring lightbulb's over there. Isn't Time just fascinating? Light just seems bland in comparison, doesn't it?"

The spark of amusement and the silent snicker that eased her tightly wound frame somewhat was worth the inevitable verbal thrashing he'd receive from his brother. He sent Lucifer a smirk that was answered with a playfully offended expression on his visage. Of course, he'd picked up on it. That didn't mean he'd come out of it unscathed though.

"Why are you pretending to be civilised all of a sudden? Don't tell me that after billions of years, you are finally learning some common decency? Even a mindless barbarian can learn some things, it seems... I'll have to contact some of my forces in the underworld. After all, Hell must have frozen over and they need to be informed as to why. Oh, and I'll give you the boring lightbulb comment. It's not a bad insult. Truly, it almost made me laugh. Must have taken your two brain cells centuries to come up with that one. I'm so proud of you."

Thick sarcasm laced his condescending voice and the expression on his face was crystallised superiority. '... Honestly, I expected far worse. He went easy on me.' Amenadiel admitted to himself. Still, he couldn't keep his left eyebrow from twitching as his smirk suddenly seemed to put a greater strain on his facial muscles. Of course, much of their reactions was overacted to allow her to relax a bit, and it was working. He felt a bit embarrassed from the thankful glance Chloe sent him. She caught on too, apparently. He was glad for his dark complexion as it lent itself to hiding the light blush on his cheeks. After getting herself under control, her small hand disappeared in his offered grasp. Her grip was surprisingly strong for a child so young but it was only natural, he supposed. While reduced in stature, she was bolstered and nurtured for two weeks by the very first Light. Despite his earlier mocking words, he held a deep respect for Lucifer and his grasp over his Domain. His attention turned to his niece, who introduced herself with a bit of cheer hidden in her voice, making him glad that she was well enough to enjoy their little meet and greet.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Aurora Morningstar but you can call me Rory as you likely already know. Thanks to Lucifer's treatment, I'm mostly fine, though a bit irked to be stuck in such a small body again. I was in my physical ageless prime already when I... Jumped here. It's all a bit of a mess honestly... In my time, I called you Uncle A or..."

She hesitated, probably because whatever she was about to tell them was a significant reveal about the future. He was just about to tell her that she needn't bother to utter possible secrets when she came to a conclusion and shook his entire perspective of the world.

"... Or Uncle Amenagod since you took over you dad's role after he retired and went to join his wife in the alternate dimension she created. At least that's what mom told me. I dunno the details since I've never met my grandparents and wasn't interested enough in the story to ask for details."

'... What?' The sheer immensity of that statement slammed into him like a hammer, wielded by his old Norse buddy Thor himself. How could that possibly happen? His Father was near-omniescent, near-omnipotent, and basically eternal. What could drive such a Being to the decision to abandon His creations and flee the dimension?

"...Huh?"

A sound left his mouth but he didn't pay attention to it. He barely even registered his surroundings anymore as he fell deeper and deeper into the mire of his own mind, trying to discern any possible reasons for such a monumental decision. He only managed to break out of the spiral his thoughts were descending into by Lucifer's voice, subtly infused with his own brand of Divinity. A guffaw filled with genuine mirth left his mouth first before he commented.

"Oh, that's rich! Amy the God of Creation. Well, you can't do any worse than dear ol' Dad, that's for sure. Go for it, Brother! You have my vote! I'll do you one better even and manage your campaign for you!"

As those blasphemous words left his Brother's mouth, he couldn't help but send him an alarmed glare. Because he didn't sound as if he was joking! The glint in his eyes only solidified his fears. He was serious!

"Don't joke around, Brother. I could never fill a position such as this. I'm not even certain if I deserve to call myself an Archangel. How could I...?"

One look into Lucy's eyes stopped his rant in it's tracks. There was a spark of genuine anger in them and it was directed at him. His brother grabbed his arm and pulled him to the side to not block half the room with his body before laying into him. His words cleared up just what incited him and Amenadiel couldn't help but feel warmth in his chest.

"Now listen here you moronic oaf. You deserve your title just as much as Mikey, Raph, and little Gabriel. Maybe even more so. I may have some fun at your cost from time to time, and yes, you are a stubborn and impulsive barbarian more often than not, but you are also a compassionate Soul with a startling capacity for kindness. You are a warrior of exceedingly impressive skill and your control over your Domain has long since reached the threshold of a major Deity. If you do not deserve your title, no one does. Now, unearth that buried Pride of yours and stand straight. The only one allowed to insult you is me. Besides, your attempts are simply pitiful. If you want to suffer, leave it in the hands of a professional, you insufferable manchild. Am I clear?"

He didn't answer verbally, but pulled him into his embrace instead. Lucifer struggled 'fiercely' before patting his back awkwardly while grumbling about barbaric practices and oafish fools. Amenadiel suppressed the warm smile that wanted to spread on his lips. Despite his rough words, it was clear that he was loved by his brother. When he released Lucy from his hold, he immediately received a punch in his abdomen that almost made him buckle. Instead, he released a cough mixed with a chuckle and righted himself, accepting the tough love from his brother.

"You didn't name yourself in that list. Was that intentional or?..."

Amenadiel knew that it was intentional. He just wanted to know the reason. Did he not consider the whole of the Heavenly Host as his family anymore? He'd be sad if that was the case, but he'd understand. Much happened before and during the Rebellion, and there was a lot of bad blood left. He just hoped...

"Whatever is going on in that thing that barely qualifies as a brain, it's nothing so tragic. With my Fall, my status was revoked and I was barred from Silver City. How could I count myself amongst the strongest forces of Silver City when I am not even allowed to enter? Additionally, I fear I might have eclipsed that rank a while ago."

He was right of course, but Amenadiel was certain that wasn't all. He wouldn't pry however. If Lucy was ready to talk about it, he'd do so. They fell into companionable silence as they watched their family interact with his time-displaced niece and he felt his amusement rise when he saw Ella pull their little sister along. True to her roots, Rory was teasing Azrael rather mercilessly. All in good fun of course.

~Ella Lopez~

Finally it was her turn. With determination in her eyes and steel in her spine, she pulled Rae-Rae along to meet the little girl who seemed a bit exhausted but ready to accommodate their curiosity nonetheless. She'd be gentle with her inquiries then and once they were done, she'd shield her from further attention by captivating the audience with the many sessions she'd led as Dungeon Master. Right now, she had to introduce herself since just standing there while excitedly grinning in her direction may end up with misunderstandings she had no desire to clear up.

"Heya! This is my first time meeting a time traveller.l, you know? I'm so excited! Do you know me? Were we close? Did I take you out for girl's night? Oh, did you join one of my campaigns?! I bet you did and you played a vampire. You just give off vamp vibes. Or maybe a dhampir? Cuz you're a hybrid already? It would make sense, don't you think? Hey, wanna join our next session? I'll make it worth your time..."

She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively for good measure. Until Rae-Rae twisted her waist that was. A hiss of both, pain and amusement left her lips as she turned her eyes towards the stoic angel. Realising that she wouldn't let go without verbal acknowledgement, she decided to appeal on her while threatening and introducing her in the same breath.

"Peace, Peace! Stop twisting or you'll get no cuddles for two weeks! Also, the threat is only this tame because I kept it PG for the kids. Don't test me. Now, let me introduce you to my most adorable gf as of yet. This is Death. Death? Say hello to your niece."

Instead of waiting for Rae-Rae to fulfill her demand, the little girl named Rory intercepted with an unexpected offense. She did so with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes that she'd come to know quite well from Lucifer. 'Aww they really are father and daughter, aren't they?'

"So you caught Death and instead of dying, you wooed her? I must say, you're already more impressive than your counterpart. Good on you."

She noticed that the light blush that seemed permanent on Rae-Rae's face as long as she had her hand in her's intensified. She also looked quite grumpy and it was beyond adorable. 'The cuddle ban might hurt me more than her...' She admitted before sending the mischievous girl a smirk of her own. It widened it's counterpart and she snuggled up to her girlfriend who quickly approached colours not defined as healthy any longer. 'Snuggling and cuddling are not the same. Thank you for your wisdom, Enid.' At no point did she even hint at mounting any resistance against her affectionate gestures though. A curious little glance showed Rory's softened eyes before she began answering the questions she'd asked before.

"As you probably already gathered: Yes, I know you. You were basically my aunt growing up and you were mom's friend until the very end. I can't express just how thankful I am for that. As for girl's night and your campaigns, aren't they the same thing? You always tempted hapless fools into thinking they'll go to the clubs with you only to end up in a cozy living room with drinks and dice and no idea what happened. Yeah, you got me too. Didn't regret it though. Slipping into the role of Humpydrilly, the accidentally gelatinous Hobdwarf was always fun."

There was a hint of melancholy in her eyes but it quickly faded, hinting at the fact that she was already beginning to accept that she wouldn't be returning. It was a bit fast in Ella's opinion but she didn't know anything about her background other than that she arrived with some anger issues and a grudge a mile wide against Lucy. 'Did he obliterate her future boyfriend or girlfriend?' She began to hypothesise some possible reasons for a time travel adventure, but decided not to pry into it.

It wasn't her place and even though she seemed friendly enough with her and had a totally badass-sounding character in the run that would hopefully end up being reinvented, she'd first make the effort to build up a genuine connection to her that wasn't entirely based on her future self who had either failed to woo Rae-Rae or had never even tried. 'Regrettable but quite possible. It was Lucy's visit that pushed me towards considering it. Who flashes in to give you a shovel talk for a relationship that hadn't even started yet only to reassure you afterwards that the other part would be similarly threatened too? A lunatic, that's who!' That said, she was thankful for the kick in the ass. And the insinuation that she was considered family. 'Now, time to return your attention to the conversation you airhead.' She followed her inner voice's advice. It was a good one after all, rudeness notwithstanding.

"I'm glad I caught you then! If it's not too much to ask, how old were you when you decided to say: Fuck logic. Let's go time travel back and absolutely obliterate the shit out of the timeline?"

A cuff to the back of her head made her turn to glare at Rae-Rae when she noticed the tiny form of a grinning Enid with an overflowing curse jar beside her. At her confused glance towards the precariously balanced bills, the affable rainbow shrugged and said.

"Maze and Lucifer. Dinah too, sometimes. She can be really mean when someone wakes her from her naps. Her death threats are almost as creative as Wednesday's! Last time she told me she'd pull my liver through my nose and she'd let me watch her cook it with onions and eat it while I slowly die from internal bleeding."

Which... kinda explained it. No, it definitely did. 'Don't be this cheerful about the death threats though...' Her smile strained a bit but she let it go since she knew the family was a bit strange and was only becoming stranger. It wasn't a bad thing really. She was strange herself and felt that she fit in pretty well. Instead of diving down the rabbit hole of joining the family too early, she pulled out a dollar. Making a game of reverse Jenga out of it, she used her schooled eyes to locate a spot she could push the bill into without toppling the entire tower while worrying her tongue between her teeth as she often did when she needed to concentrate. Once she managed the feat, she immediately and carefully jumped backwards two steps to ensure that she wouldn't endanger the already questionable structural integrity of Enid's expensive construct. She pulled Rae-Rae with her before looking at her with mischief on her mind.

"Wanna do a victory dance with me?"

The deadpan she received for her troubles was answer enough but Rae-Rae pushed it further by verbally refusing her with the blandest 'No.' in existence. The absolutely dead tone of voice she used caused some laughter all around and Ella shrugged. She didn't know why Rae-Rae categorically refused to dance but she'd find out one day. Until then, she'd continue trying to catch her off guard. Now, where did Humpydrilly, the accidentally gelatinous Hobdwarf disappear to? She didn't answer her question yet, and Ella had several others that needed answers!

~Lucifer~

"Sorry for the breakfast ambush, my dear. I should have expected them to be as enthusiastic as they were but I didn't. I hope it was not all bad?"

He apologised sincerely. He did chastise the lot afterwards for pressing her like that, but what happened couldn't be changed. At least not when an event hosted as many figures of power as this one.

"It was ok. Just a bit overwhelming to meet so many familiar faces when they don't know me yet. It was strange and I felt a bit detached but the food was pretty decent and the company wasn't the worst. Definitely not the worst festive tumble I was part of."

He threw her a gimlet eye that she answered with a smirk as they continued leisurely on their way. It awakened deep joy in him that he could joke around with her like this. She wasn't yet completely comfortable with him but that was alright. He didn't expect her to suddenly love him and neither would he demand her to let go of all her grievances. No, he wanted to help her deal with all the uncertainties and the undercurrents of her own timeline. There had to be reasons for what happened, and he was determined to unearth them. He didn't expect it to be easy but a first step, they could take right now. There were just some small things to consider...

"Are you sure you are ready for this? We can wait a few days or I could invite Doctor Linda for a conversation to get another perspective. Maybe, you want to talk to the Detective before we begin?"

At first, she seemed incredulous but then she glared at him with some genuine anger in her eyes, so he felt the need to clarify.

"Don't misunderstand. I'm not saying you are weak or that you need the support. I know you are capable and strong. I know you have exceptional mental fortitude to come out of what you lived through while staying somewhat sane."

Instead of anger, there was guarded consideration in her eyes now. He sighed with some frustration.

"Don't forget that I was alive before time existed. Only few beings have been roaming this universe before me. You'll need some more years before you can fool me. The intensity of your emotions, coupled with what little you've told me paint a bleak picture. Even though I am not privy to any details, I know you must have downplayed what happened and severely at that. That's also the reason I want to give you an out, or at least some more time to consider. I will see much of what happened, and if I manage to fully synchronise... I will see everything my alternate self saw. It may very well intrude on things you do not want me to know..."

Finally, she understood and fell into thought as they slowly neared the room he had ordered to be prepared for the occasion. They were in his Seat of Power as the palace allowed him to focus his Infernal side much better than usual. Coupled with his Wings as conduits and Enid's growing Grace as a catalyst, he felt he was at his strongest here. Additionally, since they were in the dimension ruled by him, there was far less a chance for interference from the outside.

"I'm sure. I already knew you'd probably see some things I'm uncomfortable sharing with you, but after getting to know you a bit, I can't help but think the same thing as you do. I don't think any version of you would simply abandon their family for no reason at all. I need to know what happened. I need... Closure. And you will help me achieve that. I can deal with some breaches of my privacy in return."

A steel like glint entered her eyes and her determination was palpable, causing him to smile at her proudly. When she spied the soft look on his eyes, a pink dusting appeared on her cheeks and she avoided his eyes.

"Stop looking at me like that."

He shook his head and denied her wish.

"No can do, I'm afraid. A father will always be proud of his children's achievements. You facing your future past without faltering definitely counts as an achievement to be proud of. You will just have to live with the fact that you now have another person in your life who will celebrate any and all milestones you reach."

She groaned in annoyance but there was some humour hidden beneath the irritation. She looked at him with a crooked smile.

"Mom was bad enough and now I have to deal with you too? What's next, Uncle A and Aunty Ray? Or maybe...-"

Whatever she wanted to say was interrupted by someone he hadn't expected to suddenly appear in front of him. He really should have felt her approach but he was somewhat distracted and she suppressed her presence.

"Oh, my dear son! I didn't..."

She stopped in front of them when Rory drew her attention. She squinted her eyes at his daughter and he was vaguely amused when she expressed her mood with her whole body in a manner somewhat similar to Enid's. 'Now that I think about it, her features shifted somewhat... It's not yet a completely anchored appearance, but she resembles an aged up version of my little Morningstar with a more subdued love for colours...'

"Oh well, at least it's not as bad as that strange miracle you created or the self-made future celestial. A daughter from a parallel timeline is downright tame in comparison. Hello little one. I am your grandmother. My name is A̸̦͓̱̖̾͌͋̈́̒̍͘͠͝͝ş̷̫̩̫̟͙͈̫͙̪͐͛̀̐̀͗͜͠ḧ̶̡͓̩́͊͒̒̈́̓͑ę̷̖̠͈̭̬͓͚͇̟̼̻̈̅̓̈́͊͛̈́̅̀̅̃̊͘͜ͅṙ̵̨̫̻̠͊̚̚͜͠ͅḁ̶͔̘̆̇̿̓̈́̀͌̏̏̽̃̚̚͝͝h̴̛͉͎̲̾́͋̋̀̈́͑͜͝͠ but you may call me gran or any variation of it."

He threw her an annoyed glare when the entire realm shook at her invoking her true name. There was a reason why the Enochian versions of their names were somewhat taboo to use. If he hadn't been here to stabilise it, there might have been some real damage in this circle of the Infernal Realms. Rory took meeting her grandmother who was a Creation Goddess on the same general level as his Father quite well.

"Yeah, nice to meet you too, I guess. Why do you look like a washed out version of Enid, though? No offense, but seeing someone looking like her with this few colours feels just wrong."

He kept his face carefully blank when his Mother flinched back as if she'd received a slap.

"Why, you disrespectful, little... No. I will not be provoked by you. I know better than that. I will say however, while Enid reminds me of Samael at his youngest, the curious and eager boy who wants nothing more than praise from his parents, you seem more alike to how he was shortly before his Rebellion. Sharp tongued, acerbic, moody, and disillusioned."

Her words were harsh and he furrowed his brows but before he could intervene, she had taken Rory by surprise and pulled her into a motherly embrace.

"Oh, I dare not pry into what you have had to experience to become as you are. Heaven itself knows that my dear Lucy had to see many a travesty to become so jaded. But do know that I will be always available if you need to converse. I made many mistakes with my children and I let my bitterness influence my behaviour. I do not believe that I deserve to redeem myself in their eyes, but I refuse to repeat my failures with my grandchildren."

His words stayed lodged in his throat and his lips twitched as he witnessed her behaviour. He was almost as surprised as Rory, who didn't seem know what to do right now. Her arms floundered a bit before they awkwardly and hesitantly returned the affectionate gesture. As quickly as she had engulfed her, she released her again but she kept her hands on Rory's shoulders.

"Now, why don't you tell dear old gran why you are here? Maybe I can help?"

Silence permeated the surroundings for a long moment before he cleared his throat. When he had both of their attention, he sent a questioning look towards his parallel daughter. She shrugged helplessly, also not knowing what the right move was at this time. He sighed and decided to give her the short version. After explaining their reason to be here, she hummed in thought before giving them an apologetic look.

"While I am powerful enough to influence time a bit, it's not my forte and I am not at my best. I do not think I will be of much use, but have you considered accepting help from little Amy? He visited some years ago and expressed his regret that he couldn't bring his girlfriend along since she is entirely too mortal to survive the environment, even when we consider all the enchantments protecting your Seat of Power."

The time dilation between this place and the mortal realms was substantial. A single day on earth may stretch over decades here. That's also why he didn't really fear missing too much even though what they had planned may possibly take a long time.

"We did, Mother. He is on his way, but had some things to get in order before he could come so we travelled separately. He should arrive soon."

Just as his words fell, he felt him arrive with his usual flair. His ashgrey Wings radiated a silvery light that had grown in intensity from the last time he showed off his Grace so blatantly and Lucifer raised an eyebrow. He felt a fair bit stronger than expected.

"You are training yourself in the time stream, aren't you?"

He asked curiously, causing their Mother to look at 'Little Amy' worriedly. His brother looked faintly embarrassed and admitted.

"Yes. I don't think Mikey could truly overpower me, but I also couldn't guarantee the safety of my loved ones should he ever grow past his volatile self and towards true hostility. That is unacceptable. I cannot let them be at the mercy of a potential madman, brother or not. Also, being stronger can't really hurt in case anything surprising comes along."

Lucifer nodded. He saw the wisdom in his brother's words and he agreed. Additionally, a stronger grasp over his Divinity would only aid them in their endeavour so he certainly wasn't against it. With a meaningful smile, he told him.

"Well said, brother of mine. Now, let's go and aid your niece in discovering the hidden intricacies of her timeline. It won't be easy to pierce the barrier between ours and hers, but with your expertise and my raw power, we should manage."

The temporal manipulator smiled back and it had a bit of a cocky edge. The confidence was well deserved in this case, but he hoped he wouldn't stumble into the same pitfall that made him struggle every once in a while. Amenadiel was ridiculously susceptible to overconfident and prideful behaviour. That in combination with his at times reckless demeanour often caused him to be at a disadvantage in situations he should have been able to control effortlessly.

After one last exchange of pleasantries, a gift for her granddaughter, and a firm promise to be careful since prying open an alternate timeline to spy into it was not in any way child's play, they went on to the prepared Grand Hall of Rituals. The room they entered was a massive one, crafted from a single giant cube of Abyssal Marble. It was tinged in a somewhat ominous light that originated from the purple flames at its walls. While adding to the mystic atmosphere, that wasn't the sole purpose of those torches. The purple flames were created from attribute less energy, which made them incapable of interfering with the happenings inside the room. They also added some minuscule protection against outsiders at no additional cost.

The room itself was of the deepest black imaginable, enlightened by ominous purple and the gentle golden glow shining from the symbols engraved into all surfaces. From the middle, concentric and interconnected Enochian runes spread outwards. The celestial characters were intricately woven together into a net of overwhelming but neutral Power. It was supposed to function as a powerful catalyst for a multitude of rituals.

"It's been a while since I've used this place... As always, the memories aren't pleasant... No matter, let's begin. Mother was kind enough to donate some of her Ichor. Amenadiel? You and I, in combination with her blood, will act as the Trinity enforcing the focus. Which, in this case, is Rory. The power of the ritual will flow through her to synchronise with her timeline. We will then push through the forces protecting it's sanctity and endeavour to experience what happened. Now, meditate and adjust your mental state. This will not be easy so we will need to be at our best. I have no idea how powerful my counterpart truly is but if he is somewhere close to myself, he might sense the Intrusion. If that's the case, do let me deal with him myself. Neither of you is even close to being my opponent."

The simple statement only caused some nods. There was no arrogance or haughtiness in his voice. They knew he was beyond them. That much was a simple Truth. Once they were ready, they took their positions.

Rory was placed in the middle of the room, amidst a maelstrom of Runes lazily rotating around her. Their golden glow illuminated her serious visage as she readied herself to act as a conduit. In strategic places around her, they took their positions. Mother's blood was the point as her Authority was the highest. He acted as direct support, controlling the volatile energies while Amenadiel would direct the entire effort since Time was his Domain. Once they synchronised their minds and the wavelengths of their Grace, he opened his mouth. Enochian Words flowed over his lips in a steady cadence. The melodious phrases were neither slow nor hurried as they began to weave a powerful Song capable of influencing reality itself. The shining runes around them accelerated until they weren't individually visible anymore. Instead, they melted together into circles of glowing Might. He ignored the slight twinge he felt in his Grace and simply circled his Infernalis to provide support as sweat poured from his forehead.

Their Wings concurrently manifested, already glowing with power from the get-go as Lucifer rose to his feet and pressed his hands together in the abrahamic gesture of Prayer. As soon as his palms touched, the World seemed to pause. He knew without a doubt that his hair and his Wings were glowing with golden Light at this moment as his Grace manifested in its most primal state. 'How long has it been since I took this form?' He idly asked himself but failed to answer. Surely, it was before the Rebellion. In the Outer Wars perhaps? Back then, when he was still fully in sync with his Grace. Without doubt and filled to the brim with unshakable confidence in his Father.

It took the callous disregard in the face of his fallen siblings to shake that trust. The cold reprimand when he mourned those who wouldn't ever stretch their Wings again was a necessity to rob him of the illusion that his Father was flawless. Back then when there were not five, but seven Archangels... He shook his head to clear his thoughts. 'Mother never fails to wake painful memories with her careless words...' He admitted. Now was not the time to reminisce and mope however. They were here for a reason. His daughter wanted closure. She wanted to understand. So he would do his very best to grant her wish. The intensity of his voice increased as the ritual progressed. For hours, he sang. To collect and direct. To grant Power and focus it towards their goal. Finally, the Ritual was saturated and he intoned the last few notes before handing over the reigns to Amenadiel, who struggled a bit to contain the immense volume and quality of the energy he had amassed. He proved himself reliable however, and managed to receive the entirety of what he had to give without him having to step in.

From here on out he was delegated to silent vigil as he made sure nothing went wrong while Amenadiel directed the flow and Rory received it. Under the baptism of the sacred Force they collected, her body grew a bit, seeming two or three years older than before. It wasn't an entirely unexpected side-effect, but he still felt vaguely sad that she wouldn't have the full childhood experience in his care.

Finally, it was time. Everything was aligned and they were about to try and open a connection to Rory's original timeline. Under his control and Amenadiel's direction, the energy formed a metaphysical blade capable of cutting through entire dimensions. Soon, Amenadiel's job as Celestial tuning fork was fulfilled and the temporary weapon capable of obliterating immortal Souls was completely aligned with Rory's signature. They opened up a rift into the Void without problems, but that was the easy part. Thanks to the energy's alignment, they needn't search for the correct borders among infinite choices. Instead, they navigated forwards until they encountered one particular obstacle.

'This is it. This is Rory's timeline.' He could feel it with all his being. An anticipatory gleam sparked through his eyes. They were glowing from the stigmata symbolising his Grace in tandem with the Hellfyre that expressed his Infernalis. He glared beyond Time, Space, and dimensional boundaries, readying himself to push through the metaphysical membrane covering her home. Only to be intercepted by the forces of Fate, intent to protect the sanctity of their little timeline. Their obscured forms radiated their synergetic energies outwards and formed a shield in front of the borders. How... cute.

A sardonic smile spread on his lips as the glow of his Wings intensified. He barely registered the second set of featherless Wings manifesting behind his back, bringing with them a faint halo of heat. The double-crosses in his eyes shone with sacred Light as Infernal Cinders languidly floated through his eyes, somehow in complete harmony with the Light. Paradoxically, neither overpowered the other. Instead, the embers began to converge and reached a unique state of confluence. Grace and Infernalis. Two opposing forces reached True Balance as they pushed each other beyond limits. Unknown to him, his Seat of Power radiated his unfathomable Might into the Infernal Realms as the Dimension that was his by Right of Conquest and Bestowment supported and bolstered his attempt. How far was he willing to go for his dear daughters? Oh please, in his mind there was never supposed to be a limit.

A thin line of Ichor ran down the side of his lips as he controlled two primal antagonistic forces, one inherited and one of his own Creation, to seamlessly cooperate. Luckily, the blinding Light surrounding him obscured his form well enough to not show such an unsightly picture to his daughter. Silently, he took over the majority of the burden she was supposed to carry as he knew she wasn't durable enough for this confrontation. Then, he isolated the plane where they met to ensure no one would interfere. Armed with a Blade containing the Divinity of Trinity, he faced the Forces of Order and Fate. A disdainful smile spread on his blood soaked lips as he directed his manifested Avatar from afar. With pinpoint accuracy, he struck past the the Deities and severed the threads, chains, and fetters binding him and his family to their Destiny.

"Cease your meddling..."

He growled out with grit teeth. He did it once. What was once more?! As he suppressed the accumulating strain, he put forth a strong front of domineering might as they reluctantly pulled back. Now that their Fate was undetermined, they had no reason to interfere. With a single strike, he took away their justification to stop him. Something struck him as odd though. 'They gave up far too easily. Usually, they'd fight tooth and nail to reestablish their precious Order... And not just that, they seemed magnitudes weaker than they were in my memory. Just what happened in this timeline? A single strike, even from a weapon as powerful as this, should not have been enough to sever Fate...' He thought to himself as his Avatar wavered. He decided to put those thoughts to the back of his head in favour of fulfilling the purpose of their daring intrusion. He pulled the other two along and helped them manifest.

"Don't think I didn't notice what you've done, Lucy."

Were the words Amenadiel greeted him with. There was a complicated look in his eyes, containing worry, reproach, and self-recrimination among other emotions. Clearly, he blamed himself for not being strong enough. Lucifer opted to answer ambiguously, especially in Rory's presence.

"It doesn't matter. Let's finish this."

He grumbled and the other two nodded. She observed their interaction curiously before letting it go. As one, the reached out to connect to their alternate selves, but what they saw only raised more questions and answered few.

Chapter Text

I'm taking a bit of a break from the Wednesday fandom. That is not to say that I'm not writing, because I am. I have several works over on that other Fanfiction site people like to visit. If you wanna read something else written by me, please be my guest! Just be warned, it's not quite as queer as what I'm posting over here, not that it really matters as most of my stuff is pretty tame in comparison. Anyways, I'm operating under the same name over there and the fandoms I'm tending to are Harry Potter, Fairy Tail, Pokémon, and DanMachi. If any of those tickle your fancy, please check it out and leave a comment to make me all warm and gooey inside.

For those who don't have an interest in any of those, please know that I did not abandon my stories over here. I'm constantly attempting to get back into the groove for any of them and I am planning Plotpoints and possible storylines for as long as it doesn't quite click again.

Thank you for your understanding and I hope you all are well.